Epidemiology and clinical course of loxoscelism. A study of 133 cases caused by the bite of the corner spider (Loxosceles laeta) (author's transl)
Schenone, H.; Rubio, S.; Villarroel, F.; Rojas, A.
Boletin Chileno de Parasitologia 30(1-2): 6-17
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0365-9402 PMID: 1174427 Document Number: 89154
Clinical and epidemiological data on poisoning by the bite of Loxosceles laeta (Nicolet) are given on the basis of 133 cases examined between 1955 and 1974 in hospitals and at an out-patient clinic at Santiago, Chile. Some have been the subject of earlier publications. Cases occurred throughout the year, with 27.8% in spring, 44.8% in summer and 19.5% in autumn; 80.4% of bites were received indoors, generally in bedrooms at night. The time elapsing between the bite and medical attention ranged from 10 min to 120 h, with a mean of 19 h. The spider was presented for identification in 15 cases and was seen by 60% of the patients. The main local signs and symptoms during the first 48 h were pain, oedema, livedoid plaque, blister formation, erythema and pruritus, often accompanied by insomnia and other general manifestations in the 114 cutaneous cases and by haematuria, haemoglobinuria, jaundice, fever and sensorial involvement in the 19 viscero-cutaneous or systemic cases. The outcome of 5 systemic cases was fatal. In the others, recuperation took 1-2 weeks. Local lesions usually cleared up without complications.