Abstract

VERA, A; PAEZ, M  and  GAMARRA DE CACERES, G. Epidemiological characterization of ophidian accidents, Paraguay 2004. Mem. Inst. Investig. Cienc. Salud [online]. 2006, vol.4, n.1, pp.20-24. ISSN 1812-9528.

Ophidian accidents are a public health problem in our country, considering their close relationship with agricultural activities, which are the main income source. The objective was to determine the prevalence of ophidian accidents by sex, age, place, monthly distribution, anatomical localization, snake type, mortality and general lethality in all the sanitary regions of the country during 2004. A descriptive and retrospective study was carried out and data were collected from the epidemiological files of patients with records of ophidian accidents in the country in 2004. Three hundred fifty five cases of ophidian accidents were recorded with an incidence rate of 6.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants with higher prevalence in men (73%), in ages between 10 and 59 years (62%). They mostly carried out agricultural works (54%) and the highest frequency was observed between March and April (30%). The region with the highest frequency of ophidian accidents was Concepción with 35.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and Asunción had the lowest, 1.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. Genus Bothrops sp. was responsible for 92% of the cases, Crotalus sp. for 7% of the cases and other species for the remaining 1% and a lethality of 1.8% was recorded. This study has allowed the identification of the epidemiological profile of the ophidian accidents in the country identified by sanitary regions.

Keywords : Ophidian accidents; Bothrops sp; Crotalus sp.

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