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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands
Published on: January 11, 2011
Suspected Brown Recluse Spider Envenomation: Missed Diagnosis and Delayed Treatment of Loxoscelism: A Case Report
Eduardo Gómez-Muñoz1, María José Pérez-Úbeda1, Daniel Garríguez-Pérez1
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Clínico San Carlos Hospital, Madrid, Spain.
Case:
We report the case of a previously healthy 51-year-old man who presented to our hospital after worsening clinical appearance of his left ring finger, despite antibiotics and previous surgical drainage for suspected abscess at an outside institution 3 weeks ago. He was admitted to our hospital for surgical debridement and decompression. After suspicion of cutaneous loxoscelism based on the clinical record and corticosteroid administration, the patient presented a favorable evolution.
Conclusion:
Cutaneous loxoscelism caused by a spider bite is present in Europe, mainly in the Mediterranean area, and should be considered in cases of skin infections which do not respond to antibiotics.
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