On the Biodiversity, Toxinology, and Public Health Impact of Scorpions in Ecuador

Résumé fourni par la source

Ecuador is one of earths’ most biodiverse countries. Scorpions are one of its particularly diverse animal groups and, unsurprisingly, scorpion sting causes a major public health issue across Ecuador. However, despite their medical relevance, little research has been carried out to understand the problem in more detail. Here, we contribute to the battle against scorpion envenoming in Ecuador by providing a holistic synthesis of different key aspects. We discuss i) what is known about the Ecuadorian scorpion diversity, ii) epidemiology, as well as iii) medical care and toxinology. We show that the scorpion fauna of Ecuador is diverse but not fully inventoried due to absence of integrative perspectives. Further, we demonstrate that certain scorpion sting hotspots exist across the country, yet the problem is widespread across Ecuador and fatalities can occur virtually anywhere. As for antivenom, no local remedy is produced, and the effectiveness of imported antivenoms needs to be established. Lastly, almost nothing is known about the venoms and venom toxins from Ecuadorian scorpions, rendering strategic venomic surveys as an important research priority in the future. Taken together, we highlight several key areas in which additional bodies of knowledge need to be established and provide a basis for future, in depth studies on the various aspects related to scorpion sting in Ecuador, particularly in taxonomy, natural history, epidemiology and toxinology.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.