title: Passive hemagglutination inhibition test for diagnosis of brown recluse spider bite envenomation.
abstract: Our goal was to recreate a passive hemagglutination inhibition (PHAI) test to diagnose brown recluse spider (BRS; Loxosceles reclusa) bite envenomation for treatment trials. Guinea pigs received intradermal injections of concentrated spider venom from the following species: Loxosceles reclusa, Argiope aurantia, Argiope trifasciata, Phidippus audax, and Lycosa frondicola. Skin lesion exudate was collected and tested with the BRS venom PHAI assay. From 51 separate collections of exudate, test sensitivity was 90% as long as 3 days after venom injection. Specificity was 100% with venom from the other spider species listed above in vivo (7 test samples) and in vitro (5 test samples), as well as with random bacterial exudate with and without added serial dilutions of BRS venom (10 test samples). The test was reproducible over repetitive assays to within one 10-fold dilution. A positive PHAI test result could function as an entry criterion for BRS bite victims in human treatment trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City 73126.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romine-Jenkins
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Blick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000737:chemistry; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D001098:Spider Bites / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D013111:Spider Venoms