SCORPIONS OF MEDICAL IMPORTANCE.

by Jan Ove Rein & Kari McWest.

Scorpions are infamous for their sting and venoms, and to the general public have a reputation as dangerous killers. All scorpions have venom, but the danger of scorpions is exaggerated. Some species do indeed pose a danger to the public, especially children, the elderly and people with an impaired immune system. But the majority of the 1270 to 1300 known species in the world have no medical significance.

The goals of these pages are to present a list of species that have a documented medical significance and to present short information sheets about these species. This is an ongoing project, therefore more species will be added in the future.

Treatment information presented in these pages is cited from the medical literature, I have not done any evaluation regarding the efficiency of the presented treatments. Some parts of the treatment of scorpion stings are under discussion, and the recommended treatment option might vary from those presented in old literature. The information presented by me should be used as a guide to scorpionism and the literature, and not as recommendation for actual treatment. Severe scorpions stings should always be treated by physicians!

SCORPIONS OF MEDICAL IMPORTANCE: LIST OF DANGEROUS SPECIES.
By clicking HERE, you will find a list of species that are reported as having medical significance in the literature.

It is important to note that this list is not exhaustive. Species not mentioned in this list might pose a threat to humans. Many scorpions live in desert areas and have little or no contact with humans. These species might be dangerous, but stings rarely, if ever, happen. In addition, a lot of severe cases will not be reported in medical journals. This is especially true in the less developed countries. An additional problem is that the scorpion causing the sting is unknown, or not properly identified. It is therefore important to emphasize that the list presented here only covers species documented to cause moderate to severe symptoms in humans. Other species, especially species closely related to those known to be dangerous, might also pose a threat to humans.

SCORPIONS OF MEDICAL IMPORTANCE: GENERAL LITERATURE.

Ward MJ, Ellsworth SA, Nystrom GS. A global accounting of medically significant scorpions: Epidemiology, major toxins, and comparative resources in harmless counterparts. Toxicon. 2018;151:137-55.

Keegan, H. L. 1980. Scorpions of Medical Importance. Fitzgerald Publishing. 142 pp.

Bawaskar, H. S. 1999. Scorpion Sting - Clinical Manifestations, Management and Literature. Popular Prakashan. 143 pp.

Schmidt, G. 2000. Giftige und Gefährliche Spinnentiere (2. ed.). Westarp Wissenschaften. 215 pp.

Junghanss, T. & Bodio, M. 1996. Notfall-Handbuch Gifttiere. Georg Thime Verlag. 646 pp.

Bücherl, W. & Buckley, E. E. 1971. Venomous Animals and Their Venoms. Academic Press.