Poisoning due to Insect and Scorpion Stings/Bites

1 A retrospective study, 1980 to 1989 inclusive, of hospital admission cases due to insect and scorpion stings or bites was carried out in the six main central hospitals of Zimbabwe's four main cities.

2 A total of 92 cases were recorded and analysed. This constituted 1.5% of all hospital admissions for poisoning which were analysed during that time.

3 Of the 92 cases the highest number of victims were seen in the 2-to-5-year age group (29.3%), followed by the 6-to-10-year age group (23.9%). In other age groups the incidence of poisoning was distributed approximately evenly with the 41 to 50 and the over 60-year age groups having the least number of victims, (2.2%).

4 The main groups of insects associated with poisoning were bees, 44.6%; wasps, 8.7%; and spiders 8.7%. A further 32.6% of the insect stings were not specified. Scorpion stings accounted for 5.4% of incidences.

5 No fatalities occurred.

6 Treatment consisted mainly of the administration of promethazine, as an antihistamine in 35% of the cases, steroids (16.5% of the cases), perhaps for their anti-allergic effects, and paracetamol, a mild analgesic, (14.7% of the cases). Interestingly, 22.6% of the cases were given an antibiotic (14.1 % of which were penicillins). Adrenaline was administered in only 1.7% of the cases.

7 The majority of the recorded cases, 49.4%, were hospitalized for at least a day and the average duration of hospitalization was 6.4 days.