Snakebite accidents are neglected conditions of public health importance, especially in rural and tropical areas. Temporal and proportional analyses of these events allow characterization of local patterns and guide preventive actions. This study aimed to describe the seasonal distribution and ecological composition of snakebite accidents recorded in a reference hospital in the interior of the state São Paulo over 11 years. Retrospective ecological study analyzing snakebite accidents treated between January 2013 and December 2023. Variables included date and type of accident: Bothrops, Crotalus, elapidic, dry bite, and non-venomous. Trend tests (Mann-Kendall, Sen’s slope) and seasonality tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn post hoc) were applied. Proportional composition was described and compared with the national epidemiological pattern. A total of 352 snakebite accidents were recorded. Most cases were caused by Crotalus (n=132; 37.5%) and Bothrops (n=124; 35.2%), followed by non-venomous snakes (n=70; 19.9%) and dry bites (n=25; 7.1%). Elapidic accidents were rare (n=1). This local profile contrasts with the national distribution, where Bothrops typically accounts for about two-thirds of cases. The overall series showed a stable trend (tau = -0.111; p=0.077), with significant seasonality (p<0.001), especially in March. Bothropic accidents showed specific seasonality (p<0.001), with emphasis on March in relation to August (adjusted p=0.0052). Crotalic accidents did not show significant seasonality (p=0.1668). Snakebite accidents in inland São Paulo remained stable over the last decade, with marked seasonality in the early months of the year, particularly for Bothrops . The observed proportional distribution, with predominance of Crotalus , differs substantially from the national pattern, highlighting the relevance of regional approaches to surveillance and preparedness for snake envenomation.
Duarte et al. (2026) studied this question.