Suspected Brown Recluse Envenomation: A Case Report And Review Of Different Treatment Modalities

Authors

Rebecca J. Andersen, State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University
Jennifer Campoli, State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical UniversityFollow
Sandeep Johar, University of Rochester School of Medicine and DentistryFollow
Katherine A. Schumacher, State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University
E. Jackson Allison Jr, Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Date of this Version

2011

Document Type

Article

Citation

The Journal of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 41, No. 2, pp. e31–e37, 2011; doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2009.08.055

Abstract

Background: The Loxosceles reclusa, commonly known as the brown recluse spider, is responsible for virtually all cases of spider bites leading to a significant necrosis. Case Report: We report the case of a 72-year-old man who presented to the Emergency Department complaining of back pain, weakness, and diarrhea. The patient stated that he sustained a bug bite 1 week before presenting to the hospital. His wound was necrotizing in nature and after an exhaustive work-up, the most likely etiology was found to be envenomation by a brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa. Conclusion: This is an endemic cause of a necrotizing wound bite in areas of the Midwestern and Southern United States, but it is rarely reported in the Northeast.