Arachnidism, scorpionism and ophidism in Ouro Preto Municipality, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: This retrospective study shows the profile of arachnidism, ophidism, and scorpionism in the Ouro Preto Municipality, Brazil, from January 2007 to December 2013. Methods: The data were gathered from forms of the Epidemiological Surveillance Sector of the town’s Health’s Municipal Secretary. Results: Of the 412 envenomations, 308 were caused by spiders, 78 by scorpions, and 26 by snakes. The highest number of incidents involved people aged 20-34 years. Females were more affected than males. There were no reports of death. Conclusions: The results show that envenomations caused by spiders, scorpions and snakes have decreased in recent years.