Brown Recluse Spider Bites

Brown recluse spider bites.

BACKGROUND Brown recluse spider bites are a serious medical problem in the southeastern United States. Although most bites are asymptomatic, envenomation can result in a constellation of systemic symptoms referred to as loxoscelism. Patients can also develop necrotic skin ulcers (necrotic arachnidism). These ulcers are often difficult to heal and can require skin grafting or amputation of the b...

Management of brown recluse spider bites in primary care.

BACKGROUND Treatment of brown recluse spider bites remains controversial; there are multiple options but little evidence of their effectiveness. METHODS Over a 5-year period, family physicians enrolled consecutive patients with suspected brown recluse spider bites. Usual care was provided based on physician preferences. Topical nitroglycerine patches and vitamin C tablets were provided at no ...

Cutaneous necrosis following brown recluse spider bite

Extreme pain from brown recluse spider bites: model for cytokine-driven pain.

IMPORTANCE Bites from the brown recluse spider (BRS) can cause extreme pain. We propose cytokine release as a cause of the discomfort and a central mechanism through glial cell upregulation to explain measured pain levels and time course. OBSERVATIONS Twenty-three BRS bites were scored at a probable or documented level clinically, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to confirm t...

Brown recluse spider bites: a complex problem wound. A brief review and case study.

Brown recluse spiders (Loxosceles reclusa) are responsible for virtually all documented cases of spider bites leading to significant necrosis. The actual spider bite often goes unnoticed for as long as 4 to 6 hours, which makes diagnosis and, therefore, appropriate treatment, difficult. The spider bite generally results in either a necrotic wound or systemic symptoms that can lead to hemolysis....