Oscar Salabert write:
Quote:
>Certain species of spiders are "suckers" and utilize the
>proteolytic/histolytic properties of their venom to prepare stable,
>"predigested" future meals. The chitinous exoskeleton of their
>prey contains these "alimentary juices" until later on... Has
>anyone made venom and mouth cultures on these little monsters
>(Brown Recluse/Violin Spider) in order to determine if what they
>inject is bacterially contaminated? What about antivenin? By now
>we should be able to synthesize a broad-range arachnid antivenin...
> Someone in the Navy (a Naval Corpsman...) mentioned antibiotic
>treatment as indicated. Local peroxide (H2O2) cleansing and a
>strong broad-range antibiotic? Could make a "Hiker's Spider Bite
>Kit" similar to the Cutter Snake Bite Set...
The treatment of brown recluse bites is controversial, yet
shouldn't be, because recent research on treatment and outcome
is very definite: the best treatment is an experimental
antivenin available only from the Department of Emergency
Medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. They will
ship it to another doctor or hospital, but only if it's within
a certain time of the bite (24 hours, I think) and the spider
has been definintely identified.
Recommendations for treating a bite if the antivenin is not
available include the use of the antibiotic erythromycin and a
drug called Dapsone that decreases the aggretation of white
{*filter*} cells, and thus diminishes the area of necrosis.
Although this drug can cause hemolysis in those with G6PD
deficiency, the drug should be given to those with G6PD
deficiency anyway and the {*filter*} counts monitored closely.
Dapsone has been shown to be far superior to other treatments
including steroids and surgery. References are contained in
the current (second) edition of Auerbach and Geehr's
"Management of Wilderness and Enviromental Emergencies." Dr.
Auerbach may be reached at the Vanderbilt ER if one has
specific questions.
I'm not sure of the details of the bateriology, but Dr.
Auerbach recommends Erythromycin. . .
--Keith Conover, M.D.
Editorial Board, Journal of Wilderness Medicine.
... A clean desk = a sterile mind. Keith Conover, M.D.
SEEN-BY:
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Uucp: ...{gatech,ames,rutgers}!ncar!asuvax!stjhmc!129!53.0!Keith.Conover
SPIDER BITE