Offerman Steven R, Daubert G Patrick, Clark Richard F
Perm J. 2011 Summer;15(3):76-81. doi: 10.7812/TPP/10-136.
Black widow spiders (Latrodectus mactans) are found throughout the US. Though bites are relatively uncommon, they pose a significant health problem with over 2500 reported to American poison control centers annually. Black widow spider bites cause a characteristic envenomation syndrome consisting of severe pain, muscle cramping, abdominal pain, and back pain. The significant pain associated with envenomation is often refractory to traditional analgesics. Antivenom (Antivenin Latrodectus mactans) is available and effective, but is often withheld because of a fear of acute hypersensitivity reactions. We report four cases of symptomatic black widow spider envenomation. One of the reported cases was managed without antivenom, and, in contrast, three were treated successfully with Antivenin Latrodectus mactans. We believe that these cases demonstrate safe and effective use of black widow antivenom. This article presents the rationale for use of antivenom in these cases, and a nonsystematic review of the pertinent literature.
黑寡妇蜘蛛（间斑寇蛛）在美国各地均有发现。尽管被其咬伤相对不常见，但它们引发了一个重大的健康问题，每年有超过2500例被报告至美国中毒控制中心。黑寡妇蜘蛛咬伤会导致一种特征性的中毒综合征，包括剧痛、肌肉痉挛、腹痛和背痛。与中毒相关的剧痛通常对传统镇痛药无效。抗蛇毒血清（黑寡妇蜘蛛抗毒血清）有且有效，但由于担心急性过敏反应，常常不予使用。我们报告了4例有症状的黑寡妇蜘蛛中毒病例。报告的病例中有1例未使用抗蛇毒血清进行处理，相反，有3例成功接受了黑寡妇蜘蛛抗毒血清治疗。我们认为这些病例证明了黑寡妇抗蛇毒血清的安全有效使用。本文阐述了在这些病例中使用抗蛇毒血清的基本原理，并对相关文献进行了非系统性综述。
