[Brown recluse bite].

Spider bites are not uncommon in our warm climate. The most prevalent species of venomous spiders in Israel are the brown recluse and the black widow. Although the black widow is more notorious than the recluse, for every bite by a black widow there are hundreds of recluse bites reported. Despite the numerous bites, there is little awareness amongst physicians with regard to the clinical signs of recluse bites, and very often the wrong diagnosis is made, resulting in complex and unnecessary treatments. The basis of this error stems from the numerous clinical diagnoses which closely imitate a recluse bite, the relative scarceness of documented recluse bites and the fact that in most cases the spider is not witnessed by the victim. The following article describes three cases of children admitted to our department, presenting with high fever, a necrotic lesion and an extensive maculopapular rash. The children were eventually diagnosed with brown recluse bites. Furthermore, the article summarizes the literature regarding the clinical signs of recluse bites, possible complications and treatment options. The objective of this review is to increase awareness towards recluse bites, thereby preventing misdiagnoses and unnecessary treatments.