According to the
statistics published by the Center for Disease Control of the Ministry of
Health and data gathered in the region, the number of scorpion-infected and
snake-bitten patients is more than 30,000 annually
across the country, most of which is related to Khuzestan Province. This center
is important in terms of public health and especially mental health. Accordingly,
Venom Research Group started its activities in 2006. At present, this group, in
cooperation with other Pasteur institutes around the world, is trying to
identify the components of scorpion venom and snake species in Iran by using
new technology and updating the current research. The groups first success was
the publication of an article in The Journal of Biochemistry (2007) on the
native Indigenous species of Gadium scorpion toxin and Hemicalcin. This group
will make an effort to identify the toxic properties of other species of biting
and dangerous animals in Iran in order to solve this health problem in the
country and save the lives of the victims.