Snakebite envenomations and access to treatment in communities of two indigenous areas of the Western Brazilian Amazon: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The indigenous populations of Brazil present poor health indicators and a disproportionate prevalence and case-fatality rate of neglected tropical diseases, including snakebite envenomations (SBEs). This study aims to estimate access to medical care for SBEs and analyze the barriers that prevent victims from accessing healthcare in indigenous communities in two health districts located in the Western Brazilian Amazon. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This cross-sectional study used semi-structured interviews to collect data from individuals who experienced SBEs in the Upper Rio Solimões and Upper Rio Negro indigenous health districts. Of the 187 participants, 164 (87.7%) reported that they had access to healthcare and received assistance in a hospital in the urban area of the municipalities. Frequency was 95.4% in the Upper Rio Solimões SIHD, and 69.6% in the Upper Rio Negro SIHD (P<0.0001). The study found that the availability of indigenous medicine as the only choice in the village was the main reason for not accessing healthcare (75%), followed by a lack of financial resources and means of transportation (28.1%). Four deaths were reported from SBEs, resulting in a case-fatality rate of 2.1%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In the study areas, there are records of SBE patients who did not receive medical attention. Availability of pre-hospital emergency transport using motorboats, a greater number of hospitals and better navigability of the Solimões River and its tributaries would make access easier for indigenous people living in the region of the Upper Solimões River. The implementation of cross-cultural hospital care needs to be considered in order to reduce the resistance of indigenous populations in relation to seeking treatment for SBEs.

Case Report: Late-Onset Pneumonitis after Apoica pallida (Insecta: Hymenoptera) Sting with Anaphylactic Reaction in the Brazilian Amazon.

Hymenopteran venoms, inoculated during stings by ants, bees, and wasps, are the most frequent cause of an IgE-mediated systemic hypersensitivity reaction in adults, which is a key process in drastic manifestations of anaphylaxis. Respiratory involvement is usually caused by pulmonary edema but is rarely described as including interstitial pneumonitis or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Here, we describe a case of severe allergic reaction after a sting by Apoica pallens with late-onset pulmonary involvement, including signs of vasoplegia (pleural effusion) and interstitial pneumonitis with mild rhabdomyolysis. The presence of late onset of pulmonary involvement after a severe allergic reaction after a sting by A. pallens shows the importance of keeping a patient with severe reactions under medical care for a minimum of 5 days to avoid serious late complications outside the hospital environment.