title: Acute allergic reaction following contact with a spider.
abstract: Allergic reactions following contact or injury from arachnids are uncommon. There have previously only been reports of urticarial reactions following contact with large spiders from the family Theraphosidae. A 55-year-old male presented to hospital with a generalised urticarial rash following contact with a spider, identified by the person as a huntsman spider (Family: Sparassidae). The spider had crawled over both his arms for a period of minutes. About 30 min later, he developed a rash on the arms which spread to the trunk. He then developed bradycardia and hypotension that required treatment with atropine, adrenaline and histamine antagonists. He recovered within 6 h and had no further problems. The early allergic reaction in this case was most likely the result of contact with the spider.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005076:Exanthema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011398:Promethazine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001098:Spider Bites / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000276:immunology / Q000506:poisoning*; D013112:Spiders; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D013111:Spider Venoms; D011899:Ranitidine; D011398:Promethazine; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D004837:Epinephrine