Some clinical and epidemiological problems of venom poisoning today.

Poisonings caused by bites and stings of venomous animals have not lost their importance from most ancient times until today. Rather, one could say that they in some respects have become even more important due to some moments as: the interesting results of biochemical, pharmacological and immunological researches of their venoms, so as possibilities of their use in treatment and in preparation of drugs; the importation of venomous animals in loads of goods from countries with warm climate into countries where they normally would not be found; the increasing number of fanciers who keep in their terraria often very dangerous animals; the interest of most armies of the world for venomous animals and poisonings due to them. However, the author stressed the increasing importance of venomous stings and bites from the point of view of modern tourism. The epidemiological and clinical features of poisoning by some animals in tourists are described: so for instance the consequences of bites and stings of spiders, gad flies, scolopendras, scorpions, coelenterates and fishes.