CLINICAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN  ENVENOMING CAUSED BY Lactrodectus geometricus (THERIDIIDAE) IN SÃO PAULO

CARDOSO, J.L.C.(1,3), BRESCOVIT, A.D.(4), HADDAD JR., V.(1,2)

(1)Hospital Vital Brazil, Instituto Butantan, (2)Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, UNESP, (3)Laboratório de Artrópodes, Instituto Butantan, (4)Departamento de Dermatologia, UNITAU.

Among the three  Latrodectus sp ( black-widow spider)  found in Brazil, L. geometricus  C.L.Koch, 1841 is a  the commonest species, widely scattered  all over the country. The spiders are small, reaching up to 12mm  in length. They live in urban areas, buildings  their webs close to walls around buildings and houses, but hardly ever invade domiciliary places. Up to now, human accidents caused by L. geometricus have been considered mild and are scarcely documented.

Report case :PRT.HVB 93294 - A 34 year old lady was stung when getting into a car. After the sting, local pain and a local erythematous circular lesion with horripilation of hair follicles developed. A few hours after the accident the patient experienced severe pain and went to a hospital where a potent analgesic intravenous analgesic, and parenteral analgesics. Crises of acute local pain lasts despite the medicaments and  in the 3thday after the accident she came to HVB with local erithematous patch and pain when the photos were taken. The spider responsible for the accident was caught and  identified as female L. geometricus.

One week after bite the patient was recovered and no clinical signs or symptoms were observed at that time.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

João Luiz Costa Cardoso, Avenida Vital Brasil 1500, Hospital Vital Brasil, Butantan, São Paulo, SP, CEP: 05503.900, Brasil, Email: ofisboitata@uol.com.br