PEDIATRICS Vol. 33 No. 2 February 1964, pp. 283-284
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by MINTON, S. A.
Right arrow Articles by OLSON, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by MINTON, S. A., JR.
Right arrow Articles by OLSON, C.

A Case of Spider Bite with Severe Hemolytic Reaction

SHERMAN A. MINTON JR. M.D.1 and CHARLOTTE OLSON M.D.2

1 Department of Microbiology, Indiana University Medical Center 1100 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis 7, Indiana
2 Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Medical Center Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

A 7-year-old boy developed a severe hemolytic reaction following a bite by a spider. A hemorrhagic and necrotic lesion developed at the bite. Although the arachnid responsible was not available for identification, the syndrome is typical of bites by spiders of the genus Loxosceles and quite different from that associated with bites or stings of other arthropods of this geographic region. A specimen of Loxosceles reclusa was later collected in the patient's house.

The mechanism of hemolysis and indeed the entire mode of action of Loxosceles venom is very little understood. Regarding a case they observed, Weiner and associates conclude, "It seems likely that the hemolytic system did not require participation of the patient's tissues in the production of antibodies." The Coombs test was negative in their patient but was positive in one case as reported by Nance. It was not done in the case reported here. Atkins et al. could not reproduce the massive hemolysis syndrome with Loxosceles venom in rabbits and guinea pigs, although intestinal and muscle hemorrhages were seen. The local necrotic lesions are readily produced in experimental animals. While reactions similar to the one reported here occur in only a small percentage of Loxoscles bites, they represent a potentially fatal complication. Therapy in this case was symptomatic and supportive except for administration of ACTH and prednisone before admission. These agents had no discernible effect on the course of the envenomation.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 CLIN PEDIATRHome page
G. C. Madrigal, R. L. Ercolani, and J. E. Wenzl
Toxicity from a Bite of the Brown Spider (Loxosceles Reclusus): Skin Necrosis, Hemolytic Anemia, and Hemoglobinuria in a Nine- Year-Old Child
Clinical Pediatrics, November 1, 1972; 11(11): 641 - 644.
[PDF]