Related Experiment Videos
Suspected white-tail spider bite and necrotic ulcers.
1Discipline of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Waratah, NSW 2298, Australia. gsbite@bigpond.com
Internal Medicine Journal
|January 30, 2004
Summary
Necrotic ulcers are rarely caused by white-tail (WT) spider bites. Investigations revealed alternative diagnoses in all suspected cases, highlighting the need for thorough medical evaluation of skin lesions.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Toxicology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Necrotic ulcers are often misattributed to spider bites, including those from the white-tail (WT) spider.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnostic process, and treatment outcomes of ulcers suspected to be caused by WT spider bites or necrotic arachnidism.
- To determine the actual etiology of these necrotic skin lesions.
Main Methods:
- A prospective case series involving 11 patients referred to a tertiary toxicology unit over two years.
- Patients presented with skin lesions or necrotic ulcers initially suspected as WT spider bites or necrotic arachnidism.
Main Results:
- In 9 out of 11 patients, alternative diagnoses were established after thorough investigation, including fungal infections, staphylococcal infections, pyoderma gangrenosum, cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa, Nocardia infection, and infected diabetic ulcers.
- Only one patient recalled a spider bite, but the spider was not identified.
- The median time to diagnosis for these alternative conditions was 3 weeks.
Conclusions:
- The study concludes that white-tail spider bites are an unlikely cause of necrotic ulcers.
- All cases of necrotic ulcers should undergo comprehensive investigation, including bacterial, fungal, and mycobacterial cultures, as well as skin biopsy for histopathology, to identify the true cause.