Description

• Nearly 35000 species of spiders have been identified worldwide. Several species of spiders bite man accidentally. A few are poisonous and aggressive. The venom is generally neurotoxic, sometimes also haemolytic
• The bite is followed by intense local pain and the part becomes tender ad spastic. Generalised muscular rigidity especially marked over the abdomen, papillary constriction, salivation, excessive sweating and cardiovascular collapse may follow. Spiders of the genus loxoscelles seen in the tropical regions of several countries cause necrotic ulcers at the site of bite. Black widow spider and the brown recluse spider are the most poisonous

Types

• Clinically deadly spiders are not met with usually in India, but vasculotoxic spiders are met with. They cause cutaneous reactions as vesicles and constitutional lesions like fever, muscular pain etc
• Pain from non venomous spider typically lasts for 5 to 60 minutes while pain from venomous spider bites frequently lasts for greater than 24 hours
• Over a period of time the bite becomes painless or produces a stinging sensation. In few hours the site becomes painful and pruritic with central induration surrounded by a pale zone of ischemia and zone of erythema
• In few cases the lesion resolves without treatment in 2-3 days. In severe cases the erythema spread and the centre of lesion becomes haemorrhagic and necrotic with an overlying bullae
• A black eschar forms and sloughs several weeks later leaving an ulcer that may be >2.5cm in diameter and eventually a depressed scar
• Local complications include injury to nerves and secondary infection, fever, chills, weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting, myalgia, arthralgia , maculopapular rash and leukocytosis may develop within 72 hours of the bite
• In rare instances acute complications such as haemolytic anaemia, haemoglobinuria and renal failure occur and are fatal

Investigation

• Usually clinical diagnosis is made

Treatments

• Specific antivenin is available in few countries, but not in India

Internal medicines

• Lodhrasevyadi kashaya
• Neelithulasyadi kashaya
• Patolakaturohinyadi kashaya
• Aragwadhadai kashaya
• Vilwadi gutika
• Dashanga gutika

Procedures

• Lodhrasevyadi kashaya dhara
• Nalpamaradi kshalana
• Neelidaladi keram – ext application
• Haridra+ basil leaf (Tulasi) as lepa

Department

Agada Tantra