title: Tityus serrulatus envenoming in non-obese diabetic mice: a risk factor for severity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Brazil, accidents with venomous animals are considered a public health problem. Tityus serrulatus (Ts), popularly known as the yellow scorpion, is most frequently responsible for the severe accidents in the country. Ts envenoming can cause several signs and symptoms classified according to their clinical manifestations as mild, moderate or severe. Furthermore, the victims usually present biochemical alterations, including hyperglycemia. Nevertheless, Ts envenoming and its induced hyperglycemia were never studied or documented in a patient with diabetes mellitus (DM). Therefore, this is the first study to evaluate the glycemia during Ts envenoming using a diabetic animal model (NOD, non-obese diabetic).
  
  
  METHODS
  Female mice (BALB/c or NOD) were challenged with a non-lethal dose of Ts venom. Blood glucose level was measured (tail blood using a glucose meter) over a 24-h period. The total glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were measured 30 days after Ts venom injection. Moreover, the insulin levels were analyzed at the glycemia peak.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrated that the envenomed NOD animals presented a significant increase of glycemia, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and insulin levels compared to the envenomed BALB/c control group, corroborating that DM victims present great risk of developing severe envenoming. Moreover, the envenomed NOD animals presented highest risk of death and sequelae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that the diabetic victims stung by Ts scorpion should be always considered a risk group for scorpion envenoming severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. do Café, s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme Honda
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. do Café, s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe Augusto
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Cerni
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. do Café, s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Iara Aimê
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. do Café, s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil.
authors.forename: Eliane Candiani
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Arantes
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. do Café, s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, SP Brazil ; Medical School of Roraima, Federal University of Roraima (UFRR), Av. Capitão Ene Garcez, 2413, Boa Vista, RR 69310-000 Brazil.
authors.forename: Manuela Berto
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Pucca
keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Glycemia; NOD mice; Scorpion venom; Tityus serrulatus