Scorpionism and serotherapy in Mexico

Abstract

In Mexico, scorpionism is an endemic public health problem. The exact number of human accidents is unknown, but partial statistics suggests numbers close to 200,000 per year. The documented number of fatality cases is in the order of 310 people per year. We currently use horse antiserum in patients who show a clear picture of intoxication. Our personal experience in treating 38,068 people, from which over 20,000 received serotherapy, shows that the antiserum is very effective, in that none of the patients died.