Objective To estimate annual incidence of work-related snake bites injuries, WSBI, among farmers in Brazil from 2007 to 2015.

Methods This study was carried out with data from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases and injuries, SINAN, which includes records of work-related injuries caused by poisonous animals. Population estimates are from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, IBGE.

Results In 2007 the WSBI incidence was 5.3/100,000 and 5.2/100,000 in 2015, a reduction of −2.4% among farmers in Brazil. The highest WSBI incidence was estimated for Roraima and Espirito Santo, in 2007 (29.5/100,000 and 24.7/100,000, respectively) and 2015 (40.7/100,000 and 16.1/100,000). Over the study time, the WSBI annual incidence increased in the North (52.3%) and Northeast (14.6%). In the remaining regions there was a decrease of −66.8% (Middle West), −40.8% (Southeast) and −32.0% (South).

Conclusions There are deep regional disparities in the risk of WSBI among farmers in the country, approximately 15 million. Epidemiological data for them are scarce leaving invisible these severe, potentially disabling or fatal preventable work-related injury with simple safe shoes like rubber boots.

Financing source Ministry of Science and Technology/Universidade Federal da Bahia