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California Medicine Dec 1966
Topics: Adult; Animals; California; Humans; Male; Necrosis; Rabbits; Spider Bites
PubMed: 5980720
DOI: No ID Found -
Annals of Saudi Medicine 1999The purpose of this study was to highlight the clinical features of spider bite envenomation, a subject which has not, to our knowledge, been previously published in...
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to highlight the clinical features of spider bite envenomation, a subject which has not, to our knowledge, been previously published in Saudi Arabia.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Ten patients (8 males and 2 females) aged between 13 and 75 years (mean 36.8) were hospitalized at King Fahad Hospital, Al Baha, with the diagnosis of spider bites during the 9-year period from June 1988 to May 1997.
RESULTS
One of the patients was bitten on the right hand by a brown spider, causing severe cellulitis and tissue necrosis, and requiring surgical debridement and pedicle skin flap graft. The nine other patients (90%) had bites from black spiders identified as black widow spiders. Two of the nine (22.2%) suffered only local reactions in the form of pain, erythema and swelling at the site of bite. The remaining seven (77.8%), had varying symptoms of systemic envenomation, including pulmonary edema, myocardial dysfunction with elevated creatinine kinase, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities, progressive paresthesia, generalized body ache, etc. Therapy included analgesics, muscle relaxants, intravenous infusion of calcium gluconate and oxygen where indicated. Specific antivenin therapy was available for only four of the nine patients (44%) with black widow spider bite. Antivenin therapy still produced dramatic relief of the symptoms in the patient with pulmonary edema, even after a delay of 30 hours.
CONCLUSION
Spider bite envenomation should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute surgical abdomen and myocardial infarction.
PubMed: 17337978
DOI: 10.5144/0256-4947.1999.15 -
Epidemiologia E Servicos de Saude :... 2022to analyze the temporal trend of accidents involving venomous animals in Brazil from 2007 to 2019.
OBJECTIVE
to analyze the temporal trend of accidents involving venomous animals in Brazil from 2007 to 2019.
METHODS
this was a cross-sectional study carried out with data from the Notifiable Health Conditions Information System (SINAN). Prais-Winsten linear regression was used for the temporal analysis. We calculated incidence rates according to sex and age group, relative risk and case fatality ratio.
RESULTS
during the study period there were 2,102,657 cases of accidents involving venomous animals. With the exception of snakebite, the remaining accidents showed a rising temporal trend in most regions of the country. Scorpion stings, snake bites and spider bites were responsible for 86% of accidents, mainly affecting male people of working age. Accidents involving snakes (0.4%) and bees (0.3%) had the highest case fatality ratios. Children were the main victims of accidents involving bees, caterpillars and "others".
CONCLUSION
accidents involving venomous animals showed a rising temporal trend for most conditions, as well as different epidemiological profiles.
Topics: Male; Animals; Bees; Venoms; Brazil; Cross-Sectional Studies; Snake Bites; Accidents
PubMed: 36351057
DOI: 10.1590/S2237-96222022000300009 -
Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2022spp. (brown spiders) bites are responsible for the development of a syndrome consisting mainly of dermonecrotic lesions, and also systemic effects. Rabbits are one of...
spp. (brown spiders) bites are responsible for the development of a syndrome consisting mainly of dermonecrotic lesions, and also systemic effects. Rabbits are one of the main experimental models used for better understanding the systemic and local effects of venom. The aim of this study is to evaluate the toxic and protective effects of rabbits immunized with spp. venom. Male New Zealand rabbits were allocated as a control group (CG; = 5) that received adjuvant (Montanide) and phosphate-buffer saline (PBS), or as venom group (VG; = 5) that received 21 μg of venom using Montanide as adjuvant. After five immunization cycles, a trial with 7 μg of (. ) venom was performed, and dermonecrotic lesions were measured. The rabbits were then euthanized, and their organs were collected for histopathology analysis. Rabbits that had undergone venom immunization protocol showed minor clinical disturbances during the experimental period. The used immunization protocol protected the rabbits against the toxic effect of the venom because they showed minor clinical disturbances during the experimental period.
PubMed: 35711800
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.852917 -
Clinical Case Reports Apr 2023Clinicians should be aware of the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis following brown recluse spider bite.
Clinicians should be aware of the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis following brown recluse spider bite.
PubMed: 37113635
DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.7263 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Oct 2022Spiders of the genus Loxosceles are distributed throughout tropical and temperate regions worldwide. Loxosceles spp. bites may evolve to necrosis, with or without... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
Spiders of the genus Loxosceles are distributed throughout tropical and temperate regions worldwide. Loxosceles spp. bites may evolve to necrosis, with or without intravascular hemolysis. There is no consensus regarding the best treatment to prevent necrosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the factors associated with the development of necrosis and the impact that antivenom administration has on the evolution of cutaneous loxoscelism.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
This was a prospective observational study carried out at a referral center for envenoming. Over a 6-year period, we included 146 patients with a presumptive or definitive diagnosis of loxoscelism. Depending on the symptom severity, a polyvalent anti-arachnid antivenom was administered or not-in 74 cases (50.7%) and 72 cases (49.3%), respectively. Cutaneous and systemic manifestations were assessed at admission and weekly thereafter. Adverse reactions to the antivenom were also evaluated. Cutaneous loxoscelism was observed in 141 cases (96.6%), and the spider was identified in 29 (19.9%). The mean time from bite to antivenom administration was 41.6 ± 27.4 h. After discharge, 130 patients (90.9%) were treated with corticosteroids, antihistamines and analgesics being prescribed as needed. The probability of developing necrosis was significantly lower among the patients who were admitted earlier, as well as among those who received antivenom (p = 0.0245). Among the 74 patients receiving antivenom, early and delayed adverse reactions occurred in seven (9.5%) and four (5.4%), respectively. Local infection was observed only in three (2.3%) of the 128 patients for whom that information was available.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
Necrosis after a Loxosceles sp. bite appears to more common when hospital admission is delayed or when antivenom is not administered. In addition, the administration of a polyvalent anti-arachnid antivenom appears to be safe, with a relatively low rate of adverse reactions.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Antivenins; Hospitalization; Necrosis; Spider Bites; Spider Venoms; Spiders; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 36240248
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010842 -
The Western Journal of Medicine Jun 1994
Topics: Adolescent; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Male; Necrosis; Spider Bites
PubMed: 8053187
DOI: No ID Found -
The Western Journal of Medicine Aug 1979
Topics: Adult; Ankle; Humans; Male; Necrosis; Spider Bites; Spider Venoms; Spiders; United States
PubMed: 516704
DOI: No ID Found -
The American Journal of Case Reports Aug 2021BACKGROUND Envenomation from the brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) is described to cause both local and systemic symptoms. We report a case of an adolescent boy...
BACKGROUND Envenomation from the brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) is described to cause both local and systemic symptoms. We report a case of an adolescent boy who developed severe systemic loxoscelism, and his clinical course was complicated by myocarditis, which has not been previously reported in association with loxoscelism. CASE REPORT A 16-year-old boy presented with non-specific symptoms and forearm pain following a suspected spider bite, which subsequently evolved into a necrotic skin lesion. During his clinical course, he developed a characteristic syndrome of systemic loxoscelism with hemolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, and severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome, necessitating transfer to the Intensive Care Unit. The diagnosis was confirmed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that detected Loxosceles venom in the wound. Additionally, he developed pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock secondary to myocarditis, which was confirmed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Steroids and plasmapheresis were initiated to manage the severe inflammatory syndrome, and the myocarditis was treated with intravenous immunoglobulins, resulting in resolution of symptoms and improvement of cardiac function. CONCLUSIONS This is the first reported case of myocarditis associated with loxoscelism, providing evidence for Loxosceles toxin-associated cardiac injury, which has been previously described in animal models only. Furthermore, this case provides further support for the use of confirmatory testing in the clinical diagnosis of loxoscelism.
Topics: Adolescent; Animals; Brown Recluse Spider; Hemolysis; Humans; Male; Myocarditis; Skin Diseases; Spider Bites
PubMed: 34453029
DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.932378 -
PloS One 2017Systemic loxoscelism is a rare illness resulting from the bite of the recluse spider and, in its most severe form, can lead to widespread hemolysis, coagulopathy, and...
OBJECTIVE
Systemic loxoscelism is a rare illness resulting from the bite of the recluse spider and, in its most severe form, can lead to widespread hemolysis, coagulopathy, and death. We aim to describe the clinical features and outcomes of the largest known cohort of individuals with moderate to severe loxoscelism.
METHODS
We performed a retrospective, cross sectional study from January 1, 1995, to December 31, 2015, at a tertiary-care academic medical center, to determine individuals with clinical records consistent with moderate to severe loxoscelism. Age-, sex-, and race-matched controls were compared. Demographics, clinical characteristics, laboratory measures, and outcomes of individuals with loxoscelism are described. Case and control groups were compared with descriptive statistics and phenome-wide association study (PheWAS).
RESULTS
During the time period, 57 individuals were identified as having moderate to severe loxoscelism. Of these, only 33% had an antecedent spider bite documented. Median age of individuals diagnosed with moderate to severe loxoscelism was 14 years old (IQR 9.0-24.0 years). PheWAS confirmed associations of systemic loxoscelism with 29 other phenotypes, e.g., rash, hemolytic anemia, and sepsis. Hemoglobin level dropped an average of 3.1 g/dL over an average of 2.0 days (IQR 2.0-6.0). Lactate dehydrogenase and total bilirubin levels were on average over two times their upper limit of normal values. Eighteen individuals of 32 tested had a positive direct antiglobulin (Coombs') test. Mortality was 3.5% (2/57 individuals).
CONCLUSION
Systemic loxoscelism is a rare but devastating process with only a minority of patients recalling the toxic exposure; hemolysis reaches a peak at 2 days after admission, with some cases taking more than a week before recovery. In endemic areas, suspicion for systemic loxoscelism should be high in individuals, especially children and younger adults, presenting with a cutaneous ulcer and hemolysis or coagulopathy, even in the absence of a bite exposure history.
Topics: Adolescent; Animals; Bilirubin; Brown Recluse Spider; Case-Control Studies; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation; Electronic Health Records; Female; Hemoglobins; Hemolysis; Humans; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; Male; Phenotype; Retrospective Studies; Spider Bites; Spider Venoms; Survival Analysis; Young Adult
PubMed: 28422977
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174941