A clinical and epidemiological study of Loxosceles spider envenoming in Santa Catarina, Brazil

• Published in: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 92; no. 5; pp. 546 - 548
• Main Authors: Sezerino, Ulisses Marion, Zannin, Marlene, Coelho, Luciano Kowlaski, Gonçalves, João, Grando, Margareth, Mattosinho, Suely Grossemann, Costa Cardoso, João Luiz, von Eickstedt, Vera Regina, Siqueira França, Francisco Oscar, Barbaro, Kátia Cristina, Fan, Hui Wen
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.1998; Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acute Kidney Injury - etiology; Adolescent; Adult; Animal poisons toxicology. Antivenoms; Antivenins - adverse effects; Antivenins - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Blister - etiology; Brazil; Brazil - epidemiology; Child; epidemiology; Female; Humans; Jaundice - etiology; Loxosceles intermedia; Loxosceles laeta; loxoscelism; Male; Medical sciences; pathology; Retrospective Studies; spider bite; Spider Bites - epidemiology; Spider Venoms - poisoning; Toxicology; Tropical medicine; Ulcer - etiology; South America; Brazil; America; spider bite; Loxosceles laeta; epidemiology; pathology; Loxosceles intermedia; Brazil; loxoscelism; Human; Symptomatology; Toxicology; Loxoscelism; Pathophysiology; Loxosceles; Envenomization; Bite; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0035-9203; 1878-3503
• DOI: 10.1016/S0035-9203(98)90909-9

A clinical and epidemiological study of 267 cases of envenomation by Loxosceles spp. (loxoscelism), notified to Centro de Informações Toxicológicas de Florianópolis (Santa Catarina State, Brazil), was conducted between January 1985 and December 1995. Most of the incidents occurred along the coast of the mid-southern region of the state, during the warmest months. L. laeta and L. intermedia were identified as the causative agents. Cutaneous loxoscelism was clinically diagnosed in 232 (86·9%) patients with local pain (86·5%), oedema (80·5%), hyperaemia (79·8%) and necrosis (56·9%). Cutaneous-visceral loxoscelism was detected in 35 patients (13·1%) with intravascular haemolysis, manifested by jaundice (68·6%), oliguria (45·7%), dark urine (28·6%), haemorrhage (25·7%), anuria (8·6%) and shock (2·9%), besides the cutaneous effects. Specific antivenom was given to 125 patients (46·8%) and only 8(6·5%) had mild reactions. Acute renal failure was observed in 17 cases (6·4%); 4 patients (1·5%) died, all of whom were children under 14 years old.