Venomous bites and stings in rural Tanzania: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Background In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) called on member states to assess the burden of animal-related injuries. Tanzania is among the countries with no adequate data. This study sought to assess the burden of venomous bites and stings in a rural setting in Tanzania.Methods A retrospective study was conducted in February, 2024 to gather information from 29 selected primary healthcare (PHC) facilities in one rural setting. We used a checklist to retrieve data on venomous bites and stings from 2019 through 2023 from the patient records.Results Of the 476,928 patient records screened, 212 (0.04%) were identified as cases of venomous bites and stings. The majority of cases (n = 72, 34%) occurred among individuals aged 25–44 years, and 111 (52%) were male. Snakebites accounted for the largest proportion of cases (n = 63, 30%), followed by bee stings (n = 27, 13%), wasp stings (n = 15, 7%), and scorpion stings (n = 14, 7%). Number of recorded venomous bites and stings ranged from 30 in 2019 to 61 in 2023.Conclusion Despite their low overall incidence, the rising trend of venomous bites and stings highlights the need for strengthened surveillance and targeted prevention efforts.