Ethnozoology of snakebite victims in a risk area in Northeast Brazil.

Autor: Costa MKBD; Curso de Doutorado Em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59078-970, Brazil., Alves RRDN; Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Av. das Baraúnas, 351, Campus Universitário, Bodocongó, Campina Grande, PB, 58109-753, Brazil., Navoni JA; Curso de Doutorado Em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59078-970, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Uso Sustentável de Recursos Naturais, Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59000-000, Brazil., Freire EMX; Departamento de Botânica e Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário, Natal, RN, 59078-970, Brazil. Electronic address: eliza.freire@ufrn.br.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology [Toxicon] 2021 Oct 15; Vol. 201, pp. 155-163. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Aug 27.
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.08.021
Abstrakt: This study had the objectives to describe and analyze the perceptions and attitudes of snakebite victims in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied as snakebite victims to identify the characteristics of the accident, their daily life, as well as positive and negative attitudes towards snake conservation and knowledge about species. Information about the possible uses of traditional treatment, allopathic care characteristics along with the symptoms and sequelae resulting from the accident were also recorded. The results obtained revealed that accidents mostly occurred during the development of their daily activities (i.e. during agricultural activities, in hunting activities in the mountains, in caring for farm animals, etc); most accidents are associated with Caatinga lancehead (Jararaca; Bothrops erythromelas); the bites usually affect the limbs, 75% (n = 46) feet, and the victims resort to medical assistance for specific treatment, although some seek this service after using or ingesting medicinal or popular/home-made therapeutic resources. The most relevant characteristics detected in these accidents were the strong influence of myths about traditional treatment (20%, n = 12) and the knowledge about identifying common snake species in the region (66%, n = 40). No perception was detected about the importance of these animals, but there were negative attitudes when finding a snake, fear/panic (34%, n = 21); kill the snake (23%, n = 14), thus constituting facts which may be related to the deficiency in the education level of this population which is interfering in environmental and public health issues. Work on improving the knowledge and local perception could subsidize actions and policies aimed to prevent accidents, demystify snakes and contribute to the conservation of the species.
(Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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