Author summary In French Guiana, rapid population growth and urban expansion are bringing people into closer contact with wildlife. Although serious injuries from these encounters are rare, they often lead people to seek emergency medical care. Our study looked at all wildlife-related injuries treated at the Cayenne Hospital Emergency Department in 2019. We found that insects like bees and wasps were the most common cause of injuries, followed by unidentified bugs, snakes, and scorpions. Most injuries involved the legs, and while some patients experienced severe reactions like anaphylaxis or neurological problems, most cases were not life-threatening. Snake bites, insect stings, and scorpion stings were the most serious types of encounters. About one in ten patients needed to be hospitalized, but there were no deaths. Our findings highlight the need for public awareness about the risks of wildlife encounters and the generally favorable outcomes with proper medical care. This information is important not just for healthcare providers but also for the general public living or traveling in areas where human-wildlife encounters are common.
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The rapid population growth and urban expansion into the forests of French Guiana have increased human-wildlife encounters. In the Amazon, wild species are often perceived as hostile, and while… [25506 chars]
Source: PLOS (Public Library of Science) | Published: 2025-12-03T00:00:00Z
Credit: PLOS (Public Library of Science)
