Spider bite

Summary Spiders are a source of intrigue and fear, and several myths exist about their medical effects. Many people believe that bites from various spider species cause necrotic ulceration, despite evidence that most suspected cases of necrotic arachnidism are caused by something other than a spider...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Lancet (British edition) 2011-12, Vol.378 (9808), p.2039-2047
Main Authors: Isbister, Geoffrey K, Dr, Fan, Hui Wen, PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
Analgesics - therapeutic use
Animals
Antivenins - therapeutic use
Antivenom
Biological and medical sciences
Black Widow Spider
Cardiac arrhythmia
Ecchymosis - etiology
Epidemiology
Erythema
Erythema - etiology
Fatigue - etiology
Gangrene
General aspects
Headache - etiology
Health care
Humans
Hyperhidrosis - etiology
Identification
Insect bites
Internal Medicine
Laboratories
Latrodectus
Literature reviews
Loxosceles
Male
Medical sciences
Nausea - etiology
Necrosis
Pain
Pain - etiology
Paralysis - etiology
Priapism - etiology
Renal failure
Skin - pathology
Skin Ulcer - etiology
Skin Ulcer - pathology
Snake bites
Spider Bites - diagnosis
Spider Bites - epidemiology
Spider Bites - therapy
Spider Venoms - adverse effects
Spiders
Venom
Vomiting - etiology
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Summary:Summary Spiders are a source of intrigue and fear, and several myths exist about their medical effects. Many people believe that bites from various spider species cause necrotic ulceration, despite evidence that most suspected cases of necrotic arachnidism are caused by something other than a spider bite. Latrodectism and loxoscelism are the most important clinical syndromes resulting from spider bite. Latrodectism results from bites by widow spiders ( Latrodectus spp) and causes local, regional, or generalised pain associated with non-specific symptoms and autonomic effects. Loxoscelism is caused by Loxosceles spp, and the cutaneous form manifests as pain and erythema that can develop into a necrotic ulcer. Systemic loxoscelism is characterised by intravascular haemolysis and renal failure on occasion. Other important spiders include the Australian funnel-web spider ( Atrax spp and Hadronyche spp) and the armed spider ( Phoneutria spp) from Brazil. Antivenoms are an important treatment for spider envenomation but have been less successful than have those for snake envenomation, with concerns about their effectiveness for both latrodectism and loxoscelism.
ISSN:0140-6736
1474-547X
DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(10)62230-1