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    Spider Bite, Black Widow

    Spider Bite, Black Widow is a topic covered in the 5-Minute Emergency Consult.

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    Basics

    Description

    • Syndromes caused by envenomation by black widow spider bite
    • Mechanism of toxicity:
      • Females are responsible for human envenomations
      • Venom contains potent neurotoxin, α-latrotoxin:
        • Causes cation-channel opening presynaptically, resulting in increased neurotransmitter release into synapses and neuromuscular junctions
        • Increased neurotransmitter release causes increased neurologic, motor, and autonomic effects
    • Morbidity and mortality are dose dependent
    • Severity of envenomation depends on:
      • Premorbid health of victim:
        • HTN or cardiovascular disease increase risk
      • Size and age of victim:
        • Children (i.e., smaller size for a given dose of venom) are at greater risk of morbidity and mortality.
      • Number of bites
      • Location of bite wounds
      • Size and condition of spider
    • Rarely fatal

    Etiology

    Black widow spider features:
    • Appearance:
      • Glossy black with red markings shaped like an hourglass or a pair of spots on the ventral aspect of the globular abdomen
      • Females have 25–50 mm leg spans and 15 mm long bodies
    • Found throughout North America, except the far north and Alaska
    • Prefer dark sheltered hideaways such as garages, barns, outhouses, woodpiles, and low-lying foliage
    • Most bites occur during the warmer months when spiders are defending their webs and egg clutches

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    Citation

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    TY - ELEC T1 - Spider Bite, Black Widow ID - 307568 ED - Barkin,Adam Z, ED - Barkin,Roger M, ED - Hayden,Stephen R, ED - Rosen,Peter, ED - Schaider,Jeffrey J, ED - Shayne,Philip, ED - Wolfe,Richard E, BT - 5-Minute Emergency Consult UR - https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307568/all/Spider_Bite__Black_Widow PB - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins ET - 5 DB - Emergency Central DP - Unbound Medicine ER -