Black and brown widow spider bites in South Africa. A series of 45 cases

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dc.contributor.authorMuller, G. J.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2011-03-18T14:57:14Z
dc.date.available2011-03-18T14:57:14Z
dc.date.issued1993-6
dc.descriptionCITATION: Muller, G.J. 1993. Black and brown widow spider bites in South Africa. A series of 45 cases. S Afr Med J, 83(6):399-405.en_ZA
dc.descriptionThe original publication is available at http://www.samj.org.zaen_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Cases of black widow (Latrodectus indistinctus) and brown widow (L. geometricus) spider bites referred to the Tygerberg Pharmacology and Toxicology Consultation Centre from the summer of 1987/88 to the summer of 1991/92 were entered into this series. Of a total of 45 patients, 30 had been bitten by black and 15 by brown widow spiders. It was evident that black widow spider bites caused a more severe form of envenomation than brown widow bites, characterised by generalised muscle pain and cramps, abdominal muscle rigidity, profuse sweating, raised blood pressure and tachycardia. The symptoms and signs of brown widow bites were mild and tended to be restricted to the bite site and surrounding tissues. Conditions which should be considered in the differential diagnosis include cytotoxic spider bite, scorpion sting, snakebite, acute abdominal conditions, myocardial infarction, alcohol withdrawal and organophospate poisoning. To prevent the development of complications, the administration of black widow spider antivenom is recommended in severe cases because untreated latrodectism could become protracted, without improvement, for several days.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaaraf_ZA
dc.description.versionPublisher’s version
dc.format.extent7 pagesen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMuller, G.J. 1993. Black and brown widow spider bites in South Africa. A series of 45 cases. S Afr Med J, 83(6):399-405.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn2078-5135 (online)
dc.identifier.issn0256-9574 (print)
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/7279
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherHealth & Medical Publishing Groupen_ZA
dc.rights.holderSouth African Medical Journalen_ZA
dc.subjectWidow spidersen_ZA
dc.subjectLatrodectusen_ZA
dc.subjectAntivenomsen_ZA
dc.subjectSpider bitesen_ZA
dc.titleBlack and brown widow spider bites in South Africa. A series of 45 casesen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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