Clinical characteristics of patients with black widow spider bites: A report of 59 patients and single-center experience
10.5847/wjem.j.1920-8642.2021.04.011
- Author:
Hai-jiang Zhou
1
Author Information
1. Emergency Medicine Clinical Research Center, Beijing Chao-yang Hospital, Capital Medical University and Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Beijing 100020, China
- Publication Type:Letter
- From:
World Journal of Emergency Medicine
2021;12(4):317-320
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The black widow spider species, also known as the Latrodectus species by its biological nomenclature, is one of more than 40,000 different spider species and one of the most common poisonous species to humans.[1] It is reported to be responsible for most of the clinically significant envenomation among all species of spiders in the USA.[1] There are more than 30 different types of black widow spiders worldwide, and black widow spiders are easily identified by its characteristic shiny black body and strikingly red hourglass-shaped marking on the abdomen.[1] As a kind of world-famous highly toxic arachnid, their venom is highly toxic.[2] Casualties caused by black widow spider bites are reported all over the world in recent years.[3,4] In China, black widow spiders are mainly distributed in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and have caused great harm to people’s lives.[5] Clinical characteristics of black widow spider bites are diverse. Except for local symptoms such as swelling, redness, and pain, many patients can develop systemic poisoning symptoms like hypotension, short of breath, and fever, which can lead to organ damage and even death.[6] The severity of poisoning depends on the type and the location of the bites, the level of toxicity, the amount of poison, and the health condition of the bitten individual.
