Neglected tropical diseases with global public health impacts

introduction

Scorpions are toxic arthropods belonging to a class Arachnida and order Scorpion (1). To date, ~2,772 scorpions have been described worldwide, of which approximately 104 (3.8%) are considered medically important due to their toxicity and potential for severe awareness (3.8%).2). Most medically related species belong to the family buthidaecontains the following genera: Androctonus, Butthus, Buthotus, Leiurus, Mesobuthusand Parabutuscan be found in regions such as Asia, India, the Middle East and North Africa. Furthermore, seeds from tityus The genus is prevalent in South America and the Caribbean. Centruroides Species are commonly encountered in Mexico, Central America, and the southwest of the United States (3).

Scorpion enlightenment, or scorpion, is recognized as an overwhelming yet often neglected public health concern, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. It disproportionately affects rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities with limited access to timely and appropriate health care (4, 5). The presence of scorpions in human housing and workplaces leads to frequent encounters, which increases the risk of morbidity and mortality associated with awareness (6–8).

Global estimates show disproportionately high burdens for children due to more than 1.2 million scorpion stabs, more than 3,000 deaths, lower weight and increased vulnerability to systemic complications each year.9–11). Mortality is most common in low-resource settings, where delays in access to anti-venoms and critical care services remain a major barrier. High and middle-school countries include Mexico, Brazil, Iran, Algeria and Morocco. Here, scapulaism remains endemic and requires targeted prevention and treatment strategies (12–15). Table 1 This summarises the number of reported cases, deaths and incidences per 100,000 people in selected endemic countries and regions.

S., J. (2025). Sasorism: A neglected tropical disease with global public health implications. Public Health Frontier, 131603857. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1603857