Urban Scorpion Populations And Public Health In Brazil

Abstract:
Intoxications due to venomous animals are considered a neglected disease in Brazil. Out of the others poisonings, scorpionism became the most important urban plague spread through different regions. Scorpions are ancient arthropods and the bio-ecological features of some dangerous species and their abilities to colonize areas under strong antropic pressure led to a great and unexpected raise in human intoxications and deaths in Brazil and other countries from the America continent. Despite many laboratory reports showing high efficacy of different chemical tools on scorpions control, there are only few and/or poor field assays on this subject. Brazilian government strategies for prevention and control are based on education, systematic capture and environmental correction. In other hand, many insecticides are registered and used for scorpions and spiders control. Private services are also available in many cities of the country. This scenario is confuse and demands rapidly efforts to alignment of actions. The present paper discuss the technical and scientific criteria to establish minimal conditions of safety and efficacy of potentials chemicals or naturals tools for scorpion control, the mandatory needing of a field protocol for evaluation of insecticides on scorpions urban population and also the positive and negative aspects of public campaigns based on interventions on human habits and culture involved on scorpion proliferation around the world.