Talita Ferreira Amado1,2, Thais Andrade Moura1, Pablo Riul3, André Felipe de Araujo Lira4, Raúl Badillo-Montaño5, Pablo Ariel Martinez1. 1. Laboratório de Pesquisas Integrativas em Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil. 2. Biodiversity and Macroecology Lab, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain. 3. Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. 4. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência Animal Tropical, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. 5. Red de Estudios Moleculares Avanzados, Instituto de Ecologia A, C, Xalapa-Enríquez, Mexico.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To identify areas that present a higher risk of exposure to accidents with scorpions in Brazil. METHODS: We used techniques of spatial prioritisation to determine the most vulnerable localities to envenomation by four scorpion species. Our prioritisation integrated ecological niche models with health investment, antivenin availability, access to health care facilities and metrics of human impact data. RESULTS: The ecological niche models indicated that three scorpion species (Tityus bahiensis, Tityus serrulatus, and Tityus stigmurus) are more associated with human population density, while T. obscurus demonstrated a strong association with temperature variations during the year. Spatial prioritisation indicated that the areas with higher risk exposure to accidents with scorpions are in northern and northeastern Brazil. Alternatively, more isolated but densely populated areas in the southeastern and central regions also emerged as a priority. CONCLUSION: Mapping areas where humans are more likely to interact with scorpions can assist in the design of efficient public health policies.
OBJECTIVE: To identify areas that present a higher risk of exposure to accidents with scorpions in Brazil. METHODS: We used techniques of spatial prioritisation to determine the most vulnerable localities to envenomation by four scorpion species. Our prioritisation integrated ecological niche models with health investment, antivenin availability, access to health care facilities and metrics of human impact data. RESULTS: The ecological niche models indicated that three scorpion species (Tityus bahiensis, Tityus serrulatus, and Tityus stigmurus) are more associated with human population density, while T. obscurus demonstrated a strong association with temperature variations during the year. Spatial prioritisation indicated that the areas with higher risk exposure to accidents with scorpions are in northern and northeastern Brazil. Alternatively, more isolated but densely populated areas in the southeastern and central regions also emerged as a priority. CONCLUSION: Mapping areas where humans are more likely to interact with scorpions can assist in the design of efficient public health policies.
Authors: Alec Brian Lacerda; Camila Lorenz; Thiago Salomão De Azevedo; Denise Maria Cândido; Fan Hui Wen; Luciano José Eloy; Ana Aparecida Sanches Bersusa; Francisco Chiaravalloti Neto Journal: PLoS One Date: 2022-04-08 Impact factor: 3.240