Black widow spider bite in a child

Venomous spiders of Albania –does an increase of temperature influence the toxicity of spider venom?

Black widow spiders (Latrodectus sp.) are distributed worldwide, and in Albania the L. tredecimguttatus Rossi, 1790 has been the dominant spider. Other medically important spiders in Albania include the brown recluse with symptoms known as loxoscelism, the false black widow and the egg sac spiders; the last two inducing similar symptoms to a wasp sting. Methods: The data analyzed is from a decade-long study of 125 patients hospitalized in the regional hospital of Fier County, in the Western Lowland of Albania from May 2009 and to October 2018. Objective: Although the venom is rarely fatal, the recent spider bites raise questions about the influence of higher air temperatures on their possibly increased toxicity. Results: Significantly the severity of the α-latrotoxin rises during the summer, when human–spider contact frequency is higher and when the black widow spiders have an increased motivation to protect their egg sacs. Conclusion: This study revealed an increased severity of the black widow bites with respect to patient health, shown via all the severe systemic symptoms, during those months with higher temperatures.

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The spider bites revealed a higher venom severity during summer, when there was a higher human-spider contact frequency.

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The longer recovery times are probably related to the quantity and toxicity of the spider venom á-latrotoxin.

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Extreme environmental conditions increase the spider motivation to protect the egg sac and self-protect.

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Higher environmental temperatures may thus lead to higher black widow venom toxicity during the hot summer months.

A clinical and epidemiological study on spider bites in Turkey

OBJECTIVE

To classify and characterize spider bites among inquiries to the National Poison Information Center (NPIC) between 1995 and 2004, in terms of the epidemiology and clinical symptomatology.

METHODS

Clinical and epidemiological data were obtained from the NPIC's patient records. The following information was recorded for each spider bite: demographics, circumstances of the bite, and local and systemic effects.

RESULTS

A total of 82 cases were reported. The accidents were mostly seen during August. The gender distribution was 59.76% male, 37.20% female, and 2.44% unknown and the 20-29 age group presented more spider bites. Most of the cases were in the Central Anatolia, Marmara, Mediterranean, and Black Sea regions. Local symptoms were observed in 60.87% of the cases, including local pain, edema, redness, itching, debris, burning, and numbness. Systemic symptoms were observed such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, anxiety, weakness, somnolence, dyspnea, hypertension, hypotension, and hyperthermia.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, these findings emphasize the presence of medically important spider species in Turkey. All patients and especially pediatric patients should be admitted to the hospital. Identification of spider species may be considered a useful clinical and epidemiological tool in determining the incidence and risk of spider bites.

Biological neurotoxins

The authors divide biological toxins into animal, plant, and bacterial classes and discuss each within a context of demographic, clinical and research examples. Advances in our knowledge are highlighted, and the authors relate the implications of this knowledge to target-specific neurologic involvement.

Bites and stings of the arthropod kind. Treating reactions that can range from annoying to menacing

Bites and stings from arthropods are largely inevitable because of the number of offending species and their distribution throughout our environment. Wasps, bees, ants, mosquitoes, gnats, chiggers, and fleas are found all across the United States. Thus far, Africanized honeybees are limited to southwestern states and fire ants to southern states. Brown recluse spiders are found most often in the Midwest and south central region, but the black widow spider is found in all 48 contiguous states. The dangerous Centruroides species of scorpion live mostly in southern states and California. Fortunately, in most people, bites and stings from arthropods produce only self-limited reactions, which can usually be managed with cold packs, analgesics, and topical agents. In the few encounters that produce serious reactions, prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment result in a good outcome in nearly all cases. The number of stings and bites can be reduced with use of a few basic avoidance and protection measures.

[Latrodectism in a child]

BACKGROUND

The malmignatte Latrodectus mactans tredecimguttatus, commonly known as a black widow spider, can be found in the Mediterranean region. Its bite is a cause of a rarely seen syndrome called latrodectism.

CASE REPORT

During a visit to Corsica, a 13-year-old boy developed abrupt severe abdominal pain and spasmodic muscular contractions, headache and vomiting. The patient was restless and experienced hallucinations including distressing visions of death. His high blood pressure (154/100 mmHg) returned to normal within 3 days. Clinical examination revealed dyspnea and facial edema associated with blepharoconjunctivitis and hyperreflexia, together with a scattered erythema and pruritus. These changes took place within minutes, after a probable black widow spider bite. The abdominal and neuropsychiatric symptoms disappeared after 5 days. Treatment with calcium gluconate, paracetamol, phloroglucinol and hydroxyzine had no effect, but diazepam decreased the acuteness of the symptoms. Anti-venom serum was not used.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of latrodectism must be based on clinical and epidemiological data. Erroneously diagnosing surgical acute abdomen, renal colic, meningitis, tetanus or opioid withdrawal would entail incorrect treatment.