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The article offers information on a 9-year-old girl initially presenting to the emergency department with painful "spider bites," leading to a diagnosis of insect bites and discharge. Topics include the patient's subsequent re-presentation with worsening symptoms, including fever, abdominal pain, and lymphadenopathy, prompting a differential diagnosis that considered urinary tract infection, septic joint, and erythema nodosum.

The article presents a case study of a 11-year-old African American male with past medical history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on Vyvanse presented with one day of a diffuse erythematous rash. It notes the continuation of broad-spectrum antibiotics of vancomycin and ceftriaxone, along with diagnosis of systemic loxoscelism requires a high index of suspicion.

The article presents a case study of a 15-year-old boy with right lower extremity weakness and numbness. Topics discussed include he has been given intravenous steroids for empiric treatment of transverse myelitis; recovery of respiratory muscle strength and pain with rectal tone assessment; and challenges to differentiate an organic cause of neurological impairment from a somatoform disorder.

The article presents case study of a 16-year-old African American male, who was evaluated in an emergency department with a one-day history of fever and headache. The patient developed a diffuse maculopapular rash that involved his palms and soles on the fourth day of illness, and physical examination revealed a diffusely jaundiced. initial laboratory evaluation of the patient indicated a profound normocytic anemia, and transfusion of packed red blood cells was given.

Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles sp) bites continue to be a significant challenge to manage clinically. Sequelae from these lesions range from chronic necrotic ulcers that persist for months to an acute life-threatening course of sepsis. Negative pressure wound therapy using vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) has been described for use in both acute and chronic wounds. We present a novel application for the use of this therapy in a retrospective review of eight clinical cases treated with the VAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) bites are relatively common in North East Iran. They induce morbidity and rarely mortality. We aimed to investigate clinical, electrocardiographic and para-clinical changes in patients with this bite. Methods: All consecutive patients admitted with suspected spider bites between September 2005 and September 2006 were studied prospectively. Results: Spider bites accounted for 56 cases (0.5% of all poisoning, 21% of all admitted envenomated). The patients' mean (SD) age was 32 (16) years. The most common findings were pain (90%) mainly in their back (45%), stomach (35%), lower limbs (33%), upper limbs (19%) and chest (14%). Other clinical findings included were sweating (55%), chills (29%), dyspnea (25%), flushing (14%), spasm (12%), headache (12%), nausea (12%) and vertigo (12%). On electrocardiograph (ECG); ST segments were depressed in 25% of cases in at least two of the pre-cordial leads. Laboratory findings were in normal ranges. All the patients recovered following supportive and symptomatic treatment (no anti-toxin available in Iran), with a mean hospitalization period of 1.9 (1.3) days. Conclusions: Spider (L. Tredecimguttatus) bite is relatively common in Mashhad, which induces latrodectism with relatively different findings and cardiac toxicity. ECG monitoring should be considered, particularly when specific anti-toxin is not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports a case of arachnid envenomation from the brown recluse spider in the United States. Variation in the severity of the bites; Systemic symptoms; Treatment options.

Reports that toxicity from a bite of the black widow spider or related species of the genus Latrodectus accounts for the majority of cases of arachnidism in the U.S. Complication of necrotic arachnidism caused by Loxosceles bites; Symptoms of Loxosceles bite; Investigation of a case of spider bite with severe hemolytic reaction.

Presents a letter in response to comments made on the article about spider bites.

Black widow spider bites are commonly associated with muscular rigidity, extreme pain, and hypertension. These bites may rarely result in muscle weakness, paralysis, and even death. In this article, the author describes a child with priapism following a black widow spider bite, an association not previously reported.

Presents a letter to the editor concerning the article "Diagnosis of Brown Recluse Spider Bites in Absence of Spiders".