title: The black widow spider bite: differential diagnosis, clinical manifestations, and treatment options.
abstract: Unrecognized and untreated black widow spider bites cause significant pain, impairment, and rarely death. The widow venom, a powerful neurotoxin known as a-latrotoxin, causes muscle pain, diaphoresis, tachycardia, flushing, and hypertension. Treatment is usually symptomatic with a combination of opioid analgesics and muscle relaxants. If symptom resolution fails, an equine IgG antiserum is available, but a high index of clinical suspicion coupled with a knowledgeable patient history often allows successful treatment, especially when the treating physician possesses awareness of this type of bite and its usual course and possible complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, LA.
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shackleford
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, LA.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Veillon
authors.affiliation: An independent researcher, Lee's Summit, MO.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, LA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: LaChance
authors.affiliation: Clinical Molecular Pathology Consultative Services, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jusino
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, LSU Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, LA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cotelingam
authors.affiliation: Section of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carrington
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001740:Black Widow Spider; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D001098:Spider Bites / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D013111:Spider Venoms