Scorpions are part of everyday life in many Brazilian cities, not just in the countryside, and the stings peak right now: the Ministry of Health FAQ notes that reports rise in spring with the rains and usually peak in October and November. If you or someone you are travelling with has a scorpion sting in Brazil, this guide explains what to do in the first minutes, which signs mean an emergency, where the antivenom is given and how to avoid stings in your hotel or rental.
Quick answer: keep the person calm, move away from the scorpion, wash the sting with soap and water and go to a health service without delay (Ministry of Health FAQ). Severe symptoms such as repeated vomiting, heavy sweating, extreme weakness or fast or difficult breathing, or any sting in a child, are an emergency: call 192 (SAMU) or 193 (Fire Department) (Brazilian Ministry of Health). In Brazil, scorpion antivenom is given only in public (SUS) hospitals, free of charge, and only when a doctor decides it is needed (Ministry of Health FAQ; Brazilian Ministry of Health).
Scorpions in Brazil: which ones matter
All scorpions have venom, but only some species cause serious poisoning in people (Ministry of Health FAQ). In Brazil, the species of public health concern belong to the genus Tityus (Brazilian Ministry of Health):
- Yellow scorpion (T. serrulatus): found in every region of the country and the one of greatest concern, because it can cause more severe poisoning and adapts easily to cities.
- Brown scorpion (T. bahiensis): Centre-West, Southeast and South.
- Northeastern yellow scorpion (T. stigmurus): the most common species in the Northeast.
- Amazon black scorpion (T. obscurus): the main cause of stings and deaths in the North and in Mato Grosso.
Scorpions do not attack: they sting to defend themselves, usually when someone presses against them by accident, for example when putting on a shoe or a piece of clothing (Ministry of Health FAQ; Brazilian Ministry of Health). A scorpion never uses all its venom in one sting and can sting again straight away; it can also sting without injecting venom (Ministry of Health FAQ).
What to do right after a scorpion sting
- Keep calm and move away from the scorpion, so it cannot sting again (Ministry of Health FAQ).
- Wash the sting with soap and water (Ministry of Health FAQ).
- Go to a health service without delay, in person (Ministry of Health FAQ). Do not wait to see whether it gets better, especially with children.
- Skip home remedies. There is no scientific evidence that herbs, coffee grounds, kerosene, petrol or other home-made substances work for scorpion stings (Ministry of Health FAQ).
- If you are unsure what to do, call the free national poison line Disque-Intoxicação, 0800 722 6001: it answers 24 hours a day, every day, and transfers you to the nearest poison information centre (Anvisa). Some states use their own number; the Ministry of Health list of poison centres shows them.
Symptoms of a scorpion sting
At the sting site: pain starts immediately in practically every case and may spread up the arm or leg, with tingling, redness and local sweating. The pain is usually worst in the first hours (Brazilian Ministry of Health).
In the whole body: within minutes to a few hours (two to three), mainly in children, a sting can cause heavy sweating, agitation, tremors, nausea, vomiting, excess saliva, high or low blood pressure, heart rhythm problems and, in severe cases, fluid in the lungs and shock (Brazilian Ministry of Health). Children are the group most likely to have severe poisoning (Brazilian Ministry of Health).
When to call 192 (SAMU) or go straight to the emergency room
- the person who was stung is a child;
- repeated vomiting, heavy sweating, drooling, agitation or tremors (Brazilian Ministry of Health);
- extreme weakness, a seizure or loss of consciousness (Brazilian Ministry of Health);
- fast or difficult breathing, or a racing or very slow heartbeat (Brazilian Ministry of Health).
In these situations call 192 (SAMU), the public emergency ambulance service, or 193 (Fire Department) (Brazilian Ministry of Health). More in what to do in a medical emergency in Brazil.
Where to get care and how the antivenom works in Brazil
For a sting without warning signs, go to the nearest in-person service, such as a UPA 24h emergency unit or a hospital emergency room, and say it was a scorpion. The diagnosis is clinical: the team examines the person and decides on monitoring and treatment (Brazilian Ministry of Health).
The specific treatment is scorpion antivenom (soro antiescorpiônico). It is given in a hospital, under medical supervision (Brazilian Ministry of Health), and only when the doctor classifies the case as moderate or severe; mild cases, with local pain and tingling only, do not receive it (Brazilian Ministry of Health). Not every hospital stocks it: each state health department designates the reference hospitals (Ministry of Health FAQ). Treatment of scorpion stings is provided only in SUS (public) hospitals and is entirely free (Ministry of Health FAQ), including for foreign visitors. See how the public health system works for foreigners in Brazil.
If you go first to a private clinic, staff may refer you to a reference public hospital. If you have travel insurance, also call its assistance line so the follow-up is covered; see what to check in travel insurance for Brazil.
Can an online doctor help after a scorpion sting?
An online consultation does not replace in-person care after a scorpion sting: the examination, the monitoring and the decision about antivenom happen in person, and a child who has been stung needs to be seen in person right away. Where a video consultation in English or Spanish can help is afterwards: understanding what you were told at the UPA or hospital, checking whether a symptom that remains should be seen again in person, or other health questions during your trip. The doctor always decides whether online care is enough or whether you need to be examined in person.
How an online consultation with PresençaMed International works
- Book and pay on the website: choose a time on the booking page. One price per consultation, shown before you pay. No CPF needed.
- At the time you chose, the doctor contacts you for the video consultation, in English or Spanish, every day from 8am to 10pm Brazil time (GMT-3), with a physician registered with the CRM.
- If the doctor considers it appropriate, prescriptions and documents are issued digitally. A prescription is never guaranteed in advance: it always depends on the doctor's assessment.
Telehealth is authorised throughout Brazil, and the doctor can always decide that in-person care is needed (Brazilian telehealth law). Questions before booking? Use our frequently asked questions page (please do not include clinical details there; health data is shared only in the consultation, under medical confidentiality and Brazil's data protection law).
How to avoid scorpion stings in your hotel, pousada or rental
- shake out and check clothes, towels and shoes before putting them on: scorpions hide in them and sting when pressed against the body (Brazilian Ministry of Health);
- keep beds and cots away from the walls, and do not let sheets or mosquito nets touch the floor (Brazilian Ministry of Health);
- do not hang clothes on the walls (Brazilian Ministry of Health);
- do not put your hands, without gloves, into holes, under stones or into rotting logs on trails and in gardens; wear closed shoes outdoors (Brazilian Ministry of Health);
- keep rubbish in closed bags, since scorpions feed on cockroaches and other insects attracted to it (Brazilian Ministry of Health);
- in a long-term rental, screens on floor drains and sinks and sealed cracks in walls and floors help keep them out (Brazilian Ministry of Health).
Found one in your room? If you saw one, there may be others, although scorpions are solitary and do not form nests (Ministry of Health FAQ). Do not handle it; tell the reception or your host, who can contact the local scorpion control service.
Frequently asked questions about scorpion stings in Brazil
Are scorpion stings common in Brazilian cities?
Yes. The yellow scorpion, the species of greatest concern, is found in every region of Brazil and adapts easily to urban areas (Brazilian Ministry of Health). Stings rise in spring and usually peak in October and November (Ministry of Health FAQ).
Do I have to pay for the antivenom?
No. Treatment of scorpion stings is provided only in SUS hospitals and is entirely free (Ministry of Health FAQ).
Does every scorpion sting need antivenom?
No. The antivenom is indicated for moderate and severe cases; mild cases with only local pain and tingling are not given it (Brazilian Ministry of Health). Only the health professional who examines you can make that call.
The pain is strong but I feel fine otherwise. Should I still go?
Yes. The Ministry of Health advises going to a health service without delay after any scorpion sting (Ministry of Health FAQ); body-wide symptoms can appear minutes to a few hours later (Brazilian Ministry of Health).
Who can I call for advice in Brazil?
For an emergency, 192 (SAMU) or 193 (Fire Department). For guidance, the free Disque-Intoxicação line, 0800 722 6001, 24 hours a day (Brazilian Ministry of Health; Anvisa).
Already seen in person and still have questions? Book an online consultation
Book your online consultation with a physician registered with the CRM, in English or Spanish, by video, every day from 8am to 10pm Brazil time. Any prescription, certificate or report depends on the doctor's assessment.
Medical review: Dr. Marcelo R. Luján, Physician, CRM-SC 42.900, postgraduate in Family and Community Medicine (UNIFESP). Technical director of PresençaMed (Lujan e Perazolo Pera Serviços Médicos LTDA, CRM-SC PJ 14623). This content is general information and does not replace an individual consultation. Intense symptoms, or symptoms that worsen quickly, require in-person care or an emergency service (call 192, SAMU).