Overview
What are the characteristics of widow spiders?
What is the pathophysiology of widow spider envenomation?
What is the prevalence of widow spider envenomation?
What is the prognosis of widow spider envenomation?
Presentation
Which clinical history findings are characteristic of widow spider envenomation?
Which physical findings are characteristic of widow spider envenomation?
What are the possible complications of widow spider envenomation?
DDX
What are the differential diagnoses for Widow Spider Envenomation?
Workup
What is the role of lab testing in the workup of widow spider envenomation?
What is the role of imaging studies in the workup of widow spider envenomation?
What is the role of skin testing in the workup of widow spider envenomation?
What is the role of ECG in the workup of widow spider envenomation?
Treatment
What is included in prehospital care for widow spider envenomation?
What should be considered prior to administration of antivenom for widow spider envenomation?
How is widow spider envenomation staged?
When is inpatient care indicated for the treatment of widow spider envenomation?
Which specialist consultations are beneficial to patients with widow spider envenomation?
What are the antivenom-associated complications of widow spider envenomation?
How is widow spider envenomation prevented?
What is included in the long-term monitoring following treatment for widow spider envenomation?
Medications
What is the role of medications in the treatment of widow spider envenomation?
-
Black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) and offspring. Photo by Sean Bush, MD.
-
Female black widow spider guarding an egg case; species Latrodectus mactans. By Chuck Evans (mcevan). [CC BY 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_Widow_Spider_07-04-20.jpg).
-
Female black widow spider, Latrodectus mactans, in the process of spinning her web on a tree branch. Note the characteristic red hourglass located on her inferior abdominal surface. This marking can vary in coloration from yellowish to shades of orange and red and, at times, white. The female’s body is an overall shiny jet-black in color. This spider was found on a farm in the US state of Georgia. By James Gathany (http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/) [Public domain], courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Black_widow_spider_9854_lores.jpg).
-
A redback spider (Latrodectus hasseltii) female, found in suburban Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. By Toby Hudson [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Latrodectus_hasseltii_close.jpg).
-
Young female Latrodectus tredecimguttatus; photo taken in Croatia by K. Korlevic. No machine-readable author provided. Kork~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Latrodectus_tredecimguttatus_female.jpg).