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Loxosceles reclusa (brown recluse spider, hobo spider, violin spider)
Six eyes, including legs, diameter twice the diameter of a penny
Image: [3]
Epidemiology:
- indigenous to south central United States.
- Texas to Tennessee, southern Illinois to the Florida panhandle
- secluded, dry sheltered areas
- bites may occur if spider has concealed itself in clothing or upholstery
Pathology:
- brown recluse venom is cytotoxic & hemolytic
- bites in fatty regions such as thigh result in localized necrotic skin lesion, generally solitary.
- systemic symptoms (loxoscelism) include morbilliform rash, fever/chills, nausea/vomiting, arthralgias, hemolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, renal failure, seizures & coma [3]
- osteomyelitis may be a complication [3]
Related
spider bite
General
spider
Properties
KINGDOM: animal
PHYLUM: arthropod
ORGANISM-CLASS: arachnid
References
- Suchard JR, Spider bites, spider myths
Consultant Dec 2005, pg 1553
http://www.ConsultantLive.com
- Miller MJ, Gomez HF, Snider RJ et al
Detection of Loxosceles venom in lesional hair shafts and skin:
application of a specific immunoassay to identify dermonecrotic
arachnidism.
Am J Emerg Med. 2000 Sep;18(5):626-8.
PMID: 10999583
- Grimm L
Medically Significant Spider Bites: Which to Watch Out For,
Medscape. July 25, 2023
https://reference.medscape.com/slideshow/venomous-spiders-31606