Clinical characteristics, management, outcome, and cost of stings and bites in patients admitted to a tertiary care teaching hospital

Aim: The objective of this study was to identify the clinical epidemiology and medical cost of stings and bites at a tertiary care hospital in South India. Subjects and Methods: The medical records of hospitalized patients in the tertiary care unit between 2016 and 2020 with the history of either being stung or bitten by insects were reviewed retrospectively. The patient's demographic details, clinical symptoms, treatment chart, expenditure details, and outcomes were collected in pre-structured case report forms. The data were analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0. Results: A total of 66 patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 45.86 +/- 23.37 years. The majority of the incidence was due to bee stings (61%). Anaphylaxis was reported in 38% of the cases, followed by acute kidney injury (10.6%). The cost of hospitalization was found to be higher for spider bites at 896.73 +/- 1414.95 USD, followed by wasp stings at 989.81 +/- 1185.57 USD. In patients with complications, the average cost of stings and bites was 438.81 +/- 685.81 USD. Most of the patients received antibiotics (75.8%), followed by steroids (62.1%). Conclusion: Stings and bite injuries may appear harmless initially, but they can cause severe complications in unidentified cases and for those who do not seek urgent medical attention. Antibiotics and corticosteroids can help in the management of envenomation.