As the temperatures in Arizona warm up, so do rattlesnakes -- that means the reptiles, who hibernate during cold months, are out and about once again.

• Leave rattlesnakes alone. From half to 70 percent of reptile bites managed by the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center were provoked by the person who was bitten -- that is, the person was trying to kill, capture or harass the animal. If you see a venomous reptile in your yard, it is probably just "passing through." If you are concerned about the snake on your property, call a snake removal specialist or your local fire department.
• Watch where you put your hands and feet while gardening, climbing, walking and hiking. Try to keep your hands and feet out of crevices in rocks or wood piles and be cautious near deep grass. Wear protective shoes and clothing while outdoors.
• Snakes are more active at night. Install outdoor lighting for yards, porches and sidewalks so you can see snakes from a distance. Always carry a working flashlight and wear shoes or boots when walking after dark.
• Dead snakes can bite. Never handle a venomous reptile, even after it's dead. Reflex strikes with injected venom can occur for several hours after death.

• The University of Arizona Medical Center (UAMC) - University Campus is a Level One trauma center where UA Department of Emergency Medicine physicians see more than 70,000 patients annually.
• The University of Arizona Medical Center (UAMC) - South Campus, where UA Department of Emergency Medicine physicians see more than 40,000 patients annually.

Residents train alongside UA Department of Emergency Medicine faculty who are internationally recognized physicians with expertise in toxicology, sports medicine, emergency medical services, education, research, critical care, global health, ultrasound, simulation and disaster preparedness.

Farshad “Mazda” Shirazi, MD, PhD, who directs the UAMC – South Campus Medical Toxicology Fellowship , said, “We have an outstanding toxicology fellowship training program that accepts fellows from pediatrics, emergency medicine, family practice, psychiatry and internal medicine."

The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, located at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, warns desert dwellers that rattlesnake bites for the first three weeks in August are the highest they have been in three years.

“Our center serves all of southern and northern Arizona – all counties except Maricopa,” says Keith Boesen, PharmD, director of the poison center. “We’ve been called by ER physicians about 14 snakebites in the last six days.

“Since the beginning of August, there have been 24 bites in our service area.  In 2010 during early August, there were nine bites. Last year, there were 17.  So we are definitely seeing a lot of activity.”

Dr. Boesen offers the tips below for avoiding snakebite. If you are bitten, go to an emergency department immediately, he says.

“Venomous snakebites require prompt medical attention.  There simply are no field first-aid treatments that help.  Get to an ER as quickly as you can.”

Tips to avoid snakebite

• Be aware of peak movement times. Reptiles in Arizona are most active in the warmer months of April through October. During the hottest months, they will be most active at night.
• Watch where you put your hands and feet. Try to keep your hands and feet out of crevices in rocks, wood piles and deep grass. Always carry a flashlight and wear shoes or boots when walking after dark.
• Leave reptiles alone. Up to 70 percent of reptile bites managed by the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center were provoked by the person who was bitten – that is, someone was trying to kill, capture or harass the animal.
• Dead snakes can bite. Never handle a venomous reptile, even after it's dead. Reflex strikes with injected venom can occur for several hours after death.
• Install outdoor lighting for yards, porches and sidewalks. If you see a venomous reptile in your yard, it is probably just "passing through." However, if you are concerned about a dangerous animal in your yard, seek professional assistance in removing it. 

About the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center
The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy provides free and confidential poison control and medication information to the public and health-care professionals. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One of 57 centers that make up the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the Tucson center serves all of Arizona except Maricopa County.  Call 1-800-222-1222 from any location to reach the poison center nearest you.

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy has earned recertification for the next five years from the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

 Certification is designed to ensure that every poison center in the nation adheres to the same high standards. For example, it determines if the center is reaching the community it is supposed to serve, if qualified employees answer the phones, if the center is open 24 hours per day, as required, if staff members receive continuing education and whether the medical direction of the center is appropriate.

 “Recertification is vital to us,” said Keith Boesen, PharmD, CSPI, director of the center. “Our center answers more than 150 calls per day from citizens and health-care professionals seeking advice from our experts about poisons, drugs and venomous creatures. Our certification ensures our callers get the high level of care they deserve.”

 The poison center started more than 50 years ago as a volunteer service provide by UA College of Pharmacy faculty. It officially was established by the Arizona Legislature as a state public health service in 1980 and has continuously been accredited since 1981.

-----

 About the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center
The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy provides free and confidential poison control and medication information to the public and health-care professionals. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One of 57 centers that make up the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the Tucson center serves all of Arizona except Maricopa County.  Call 1-800-222-1222 from any location to reach the poison center nearest you.

Scorpion stings are quite often very painful, Dr. Boesen says, but the majority do not require special medical treatment. Usually washing the site of the sting, applying a cool compress and using a painkiller such as aspirin or Tylenol handles the injury. The pain of the sting may last several minutes to days; numbness brought on by the sting may linger several hours or even days.

• The venom that causes pain and other symptoms is in the scorpion’s tail, not in its mouth. If you are injured by a scorpion, you have a scorpion sting, not a bite
• There are 30 species of scorpions found in Arizona. Only one, the bark scorpion, has a venom that can be life-threatening to people.
• The bark scorpion is only about an inch and a half long when fully grown. It is light tan in color and has slender tail segments and pincers.  
• Because it is much smaller than many other scorpion species, people sometimes mistakenly describe the adult bark scorpion as a “baby.”
• Scorpions are relatively inactive during the daylight hours. The majority of stings reported to the poison center occur at night during the warm summer months.
• Bark scorpions burrow and hide from view in daylight. If they are inside your house, they will go to corners, closets, shoes, toy bins-anyplace dark and cool.
• Scorpions don’t “attack” people in the sense that they come after you. Stings occur when you step on, sit on, roll over on or otherwise touch or come very close to a scorpion. Wearing shoes and shaking out clothing and bedding is a good precaution against stings.
• Scorpions have a natural fluorescence that is very visible under ultraviolet light. You can use a “black” light, usually available in hardware stores, to find scorpions inside or outside your home.
• The best climber of the scorpion species, the bark scorpion is agile enough to climb up walls or the legs of furniture. If you live where scorpions are common, you may want to protect infants from possible stings by placing the legs of cribs inside glass containers. The glass is too slippery for the scorpions to climb.
• Scorpions have existed for millions of years, and their natural defenses make it hard to exterminate them from your property. One of the best ways to keep them from inside your house is sealing up all the possible points of entry–a crevice big enough for the edge of a credit card provides plenty of room for a bark scorpion to enter. Get out the caulking gun!