Acidentes ofídicos em região semiárida potiguar: epidemiologia, etnozoologia e divulgação científica como subsídios à prevenção de acidentes e conservação de espécies

Abstract

Across the world ophidic accidents constitute a public and frequent health problem. Brazil is home to about 405 described serpent species, out of which, 15.3% are venomous and might cause lesions with fatal poisoning in their victims. Generally, such accidents result from interactions between humans and snakes, which are very conflicting and diverse as to the utility and symbolism of those animals. Furthermore, anthropic action has caused environmental changes that reduce the availability of natural habitats for snakes, increasing the contact between the latter and humans. To understand human behavior before those animals requires an ethnozoological approach, for it evaluates the knowledge, concepts and uses of those animals in human societies, contributing to the construction of conservation strategies in the context of local communities. In this sense, this study had as aims to evaluate the epidemiological pattern of ophidic accidents in the Estate of Rio Grande do Norte, to contribute for the prevention of future accidents and the preservation of species through an ethnozoological approach and to promote socioeducative and scientific dissemination actions on an area considered at risk. A retrospective analysis of ophidic accidents which occurred in the estate of Rio Grande do Norte from 2007 to 2016 was carried out, evaluating the epidemiological pattern of the accidents and relating their occurrences to environmental factors. By taking as baseline the registered data from SINAN, the areas at risk were identified by means of this study, when the city of Santa Cruz/RN was listed, it is the most populous city of the micro-region of the potiguar Borborema, an area of imminent risk for ophidic accidents, especially the ones by Bothrops erythromelas (jararaca). In the previously mentioned city, semi-structured surveys were applied by means of interviews with victims of ophidic accidents which occurred during the period in question to identify the characteristics of the accident, to register the victims’s perception on the snakes, that is, to analyze the Ethnozoology in the point of view of the victims. Those studies made possible to integrate local and scientific knwoledge for the production of didactic and instructional materials, thought and created for scientific promotion to distinct groups (educators, students, health technicians and the general community), with an accessible approach and pictures of snakes that are common in the semiarid region. The epidemiological and ethnozoological data analysis, not only identified the economically active population, which resides in a rural zone and is reliant on agriculture of subsistence, as the most susceptive to ophidic accidents, also indicate some limitations, such as the identification of venomous snakes and the resistance to maintaining myths and beliefs mostly related to the treatment of victims. The didactic material was applied, evaluated and conveyed to the target audience. Positive changes on the perception were noted and it is expected that the scientific promotion and popularization of Science will promote the dissemination of new knowledge, the demystification about snakes, the diminishment of accidents and the conservation of species.