Brazilian doctors have found some 50 needles in the body of a two-year-old boy, which were allegedly inserted during a black magic ritual, local media has said.

The child, from the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia, was taken to hospital by his mother, who said he had vomited and complained of stomach pains. X-rays initially revealed that he had some 17 needles in his stomach and intestines.

The number of needles, some as long as 5 cm (2 inches), increased to 50 during a closer examination, as they were also found in the boy's lungs, neck and legs. His condition worsened during the examination, and the child was taken to an intensive care unit in a serious condition.

Doctors said that the 17 needles found in the child's stomach might have been swallowed, but those found in the other parts of his body are likely to have been inserted through the skin, one by one.

The child will be operated on as soon as his breathing, affected by a needle that pierced his lung, stabilizes. Doctors said they would not remove some of the needles, which are too close to vital organs, such as his liver.

The child's mother initially said she had no idea of how the needles got inside her son's body, but later said his stepfather might have used the child in a black magic ritual. The stepfather denied the accusations.

Police said numerous versions are being investigated.

"We could be looking at attempted murder, a serious assault or some type of revenge attack. We're not ruling anything out at the moment," Sky News quoted an investigator as saying.

RIO DE JANEIRO, December 16 (RIA Novosti)