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Humankind has always been fascinated by venomous animals, as their toxic substances have transformed them into symbols of power and mystery. Over the centuries, researchers have been trying to understand animal venoms, unveiling intricate mixtures of molecules and their biological effects. Among venomous animals, Latrodectus Walckenaer, 1805 (widow...
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... the increase in acetylcholine from cholinergic nerves causes smooth muscle relaxation and the synthesis of nitric oxide from non-adrenergic and non-cholinergic nerves that promote vasodilation [102,111]. Figure 2 summarizes the symptoms of Latrodectus envenomation. ...
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... Envenomation caused by Latrodectus geometricus, known as latrodectism, is characterized by local and systemic symptoms that range from mild to severe, including acute pain, erythema, and edema at the bite site, as well as systemic manifestations such as cramps, severe muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and hypertension (Caruso et al., 2021). ...
... The importance of studying araneism caused by the brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus) is evidenced by its global distribution (Brown, Necaise, Goddard, 2008;Vetter et al., 2012;Muslimin et al., 2015;Keyler et al., 2020;Khamtorn et al., 2020;Caruso et al., 2021) and reports of human envenomation Kiriakos et al., 2008;Almeida et al., 2009;Monte, Bucher-Bartelson, Heard, 2011;Earwood, Ladde, Giordano, 2020;Mokhtar et al., 2021). The presence of the brown widow has been confirmed in almost all countries of the Americas, including Brazil, indicating its wide distribution and potential to cause accidents in various regions. ...
... The presence of the brown widow has been confirmed in almost all countries of the Americas, including Brazil, indicating its wide distribution and potential to cause accidents in various regions. The recent introduction of this species into new territories underscores the importance of monitoring its spread and impact on public health (Caruso et al., 2021). ...
This study reports two cases of araneism in dogs caused by the bite of the brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus), one of which resulted in death. The first case presented mild signs, successfully treated with medication and ice packs. The second case, more severe, involved exacerbated local signs such as extensive edema and ecchymosis, and diffuse cutaneous hemorrhage in the affected limb, as well as systemic signs, including vomiting, tetraparesis, ataxia, and epileptic seizure, culminating in renal and hepatic failure, circulatory collapse, and death. The treatments employed were based on the symptoms and included the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatories. The study highlights the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, including the use of specific antivenoms in more severe cases. It emphasizes the importance of preventive measures, such as the use of insecticides, to prevent future accidents. Awareness of the clinical signs of poisoning and the available treatment options is crucial for healthcare professionals and veterinarians to ensure proper management of these incidents and minimize their consequences.
... contributes to pulmonary edema. This neuroendocrine-immune axis stimulation is frequently triggered by neurotoxic substances produced by scorpions (scorpion toxins -enhance Na + and inhibit K + and Clchannel) [9,101], spiders (Black widow spider -Latrodectus spp., Funnel-web spider -Atrax spp.) (latrotoxin, atracotoxin -enhance Na + and Ca 2+ channel) [115,116], and box jellyfish (Irukandji syndrome) (enhance Na + channel) [117]. Pulmonary edema with evidence of increased sympathetic tone and inflammation is frequently reported in cases related to these toxins [10,117,118]. ...
... Almost all these dangerous stings are by scorpions belonging to the family Buthidae -genera Androctonus, Buthus, Tityus, and Mesobuthus, and rarely, the family Caraboctonidae -genus Hadruroides. Similarly, neurotoxic α-latrotoxin and atracotoxin in venoms of spiders in the genus Latrodectus and Atrax, respectively, also cause pulmonary edema in humans by dysregulating the cardiovascular system during a catecholamine storm [116,124,125]. ...
Abstract Venomous animals and their venom have always been of human interest because, despite species differences, coevolution has made them capable of targeting key physiological components of our bodies. Respiratory failure from lung injury is one of the serious consequences of envenomation, and the underlying mechanisms are rarely discussed. This review aims to demonstrate how toxins affect the pulmonary system through various biological pathways. Herein, we propose the common underlying cellular mechanisms of toxin-induced lung injury: interference with normal cell function and integrity, disruption of normal vascular function, and provocation of excessive inflammation. Viperid snakebites are the leading cause of envenomation-induced lung injury, followed by other terrestrial venomous animals such as scorpions, spiders, and centipedes. Marine species, particularly jellyfish, can also inflict such injury. Common pulmonary manifestations include pulmonary edema, pulmonary hemorrhage, and exudative infiltration. Severe envenomation can result in acute respiratory distress syndrome. Pulmonary involvement suggests severe envenomation, thus recognizing these mechanisms and manifestations can aid physicians in providing appropriate treatment.
... the most venomous spiders in the world except Antarctica (Vetter et al., 2012;Rahmani et al., 2014;Sanaei-Zadeh, 2017;Bildik et al., 2021). This genus comprises 32 species in the world (Caruso et al., 2021), which five out of them have been reported in Iran (Platnick, 2019). Spider bites are common worldwide, and the most frequent of spider bites have been reported in countries of Italy, Spain, and the United States (Hahn, 2015). ...
New Record of Latrodectus tredecimgutatus (Family: Theridiidae:) the Most Medically Important Spider Species from Qom Province, Iran
Leila Shirani Bidabadi1,2, Mulood Mohammadi Bavani3, Fatemeh Janjani4, Abedin Sghafipour5*
1Department of Vector Biology and Control, Faculty of Public Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
2Research Center of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
3Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
4Student Research Committee, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
5Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
Abstract | Spiders are one of the most important order of Arachnids that consisting of almost 48,000 species around the world, but about 200 species have medically importance and sometimes can be fatal. The Iranian spider species belongs to 51 families and comprising 763 species. Of these families, Theridiidae and Sicariidae are the most medically important. The genus Latrodectus (Theridiidae) is the most dangerous spiders in Iran and it comprising five species. Among which Latrodectus tredecimguttatus (black widow spider) is the most poisonous spiders in Iran. Different parts of Qom province were searched for poisonous spiders; captured specimens were identified at species level. Six black widow spiders were collected and identified as Latrodectus tredecimguttatus. Samples were collected from under rocks in barley farms in Khalajestan district, Chahak village in Qom province from April 2020 to September 2021.
Novelty Statement | This species of spider caught in this province is medically important and the people of the region should be aware of the risk of being bitten by this poisonous spider.
Article History
Received: November 20, 2021
Revised: January 03, 2022
Accepted: January 17, 2022
Published: March 17, 2022
Authors’ Contributions
LSB wrote the manuscript while MM revised it. FJ acquired data. AS presented the concept, designed the study and administered project.
Keywords
Spiders, Latrodectus, Theridiidae, Qom, Iran
Copyright 2022 by the authors. Licensee ResearchersLinks Ltd, England, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Corresponding Author: Abedin Saghafipour
abed.saghafi@yahoo.com
To cite this article: Bidabadi, L.S., Bavani, M.M., Janjani, F. and Sghafipour, A., 2022. New record of Latrodectus tredecimgutatus (Family: Theridiidae:) the most medically important spider species from Qom Province, Iran. Punjab Univ. J. Zool., 37(1): 19-22. https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.pujz/2022.37.1.19.22
An alien spider species, Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935, is reported from Slovakia for the first time. The spider was accidentally transported to northern Slovakia with goods, and it was found in synanthropic habitat. This record confirms the route through which spiders of the genus Latrodectus are imported into Europe. Characteristic features, along with photographs of the habitus and copulatory organs, are presented.
The genus Latrodectus (Araneae: Theridiidae) consists of 35 widow spider species with global distribution. Envenoming by medically important species, latrodectism, commonly features bite site erythema and diaphoresis, variably severe pain that may be persistent, myalgia/cramping and/or myoclonus, autonomic symptoms, abdominal distress; severe envenoming can be prolonged and include serious effects such as oliguria, hypertension and, rarely, myocarditis/myocardial injury. Red-back spiders (Latrodectus hasselti) are the most common cause of envenoming in Australia and can cause the spectrum of effects noted for other medically important widow spiders. A 34-yr-old woman with a history of previous L. hasselti envenoming and treatment with antivenom was envenomed in her left ankle by a verified L. hasselti (hiding in her boot) while attending an appointment with her primary care physician. She reported some of the common effects of latrodectism including severe, prolonged pain, bite site diaphoresis, and malaise; however, she also developed marked edema that involved the entire left foot. She also exhibited mild hypertension and autonomic/non-specific effects limited to nausea, headache, and anxiety. She was effectively treated with red-back spider antivenom (a total of 4 ampoules) and supportive care; full resolution of the edema required almost 5 days. The uncommon clinical evolution of L. hasselti local envenoming observed in this patient may have been caused by a mixed picture of venom-induced effects and Type I hypersensitivity, but alternatively could be a rare, solely venom-induced manifestation. While provision of patient-centred care for anyone envenomed by Latrodectus spp. requires careful history collection and assessment of comorbidities, differentiation of atopic and direct venom effects may be challenging in some envenomed patients with established complex allergy history.
Poisoning by widow-spider (genus Latrodectus) bites occurs worldwide. The illness, termed latrodectism, can cause severe and persistent pain and can lead to muscle rigidity, respiratory complications, and cardiac problems. It is a global health challenge especially in developing countries. Equine serum-derived polyclonal anti-sera are commercially available as a medication for patients with latrodectism, but the use of sera imposes potential inherent risks related to its animal origin. The treatment may cause allergic reactions in humans (serum sickness), including anaphylactic shock. Furthermore, equine-derived antivenom is observed to have batch-to-batch variability and poor specificity, as it is always an undefined mix of antibodies. Because latrodectism can be extremely painful but is rarely fatal, the use of antivenom is controversial and only a small fraction of patients is treated. In this work, recombinant human antibodies were selected against alpha-latrotoxin of the European black widow (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) by phage display from a naïve antibody gene library. Alpha-Latrotoxin (α-LTX) binding scFv were recloned and produced as fully human IgG. A novel alamarBlue assay for venom neutralization was developed and used to select neutralizing IgGs. The human antibodies showed in vitro neutralization efficacy both as single antibodies and antibody combinations. This was also confirmed by electrophysiological measurements of neuronal activity in cell culture. The best neutralizing antibodies showed nanomolar affinities. Antibody MRU44–4-A1 showed outstanding neutralization efficacy and affinity to L. tredecimguttatus α-LTX. Interestingly, only two of the neutralizing antibodies showed cross-neutralization of the venom of the Southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans). This was unexpected, because in the current literature the alpha-latrotoxins are described as highly conserved. The here-engineered antibodies are candidates for future development as potential therapeutics and diagnostic tools, as they for the first time would provide unlimited supply of a chemically completely defined drug of constant quality and efficacy, which is also made without the use of animals.
Abstract Brazil is located between the Equator and Tropic of Capricorn, which allows diverse climates, reliefs, and habitats for arthropods, which sting represents a risk to human health and a public health issue. This manuscript updates the epidemiological data of cases of human envenoming by spiders, scorpions, and insects with medical relevance in Brazil from 2010 to 2021. Epidemiological data were taken using the Brazilian Notifiable Diseases Information System. Statistics of non-parametric data used the Kruskal-Wallis followed by the Nemenyi test. On average, more than 145,000 envenomation and 145 deaths are recorded annually, and more than 60% of deaths are caused by scorpion bites. When the number of deaths was pondered by the number of cases with each arthropod, bees kill the most. Most stings cause mild symptoms and affect men of working age. The incidence decreases during the colder months, which is better noticeable in regions with well-defined seasons. The distribution is distinct among the regions: Southeast, Northeast, and South have the highest rate of bites. The growing number of cases of envenomation reported annually is a serious public health concern, especially involving scorpions, and highlights the importance of studying arthropod venom and improving the therapies.
