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Tarantula Bite

Aka: Tarantula Bite, Tarantula

Epidemiology
1. Most common in Desert Southwest
Types: Tarantula genera
1. Acanthoscurria
2. Brachypelma
3. Gramostola
4. Lasiodora
Symptoms
1. Bite reactions
  1. Mild stinging with minimal inflammation at bite site
  2. No local necrosis or systemic reactions
2. Skin exposure to hairs on dorsal Tarantula body
  1. Severe localized Pruritus
3. Eye exposure to hairs on dorsal Tarantula body
  1. Corneal Foreign Body reaction
  2. Causes ophthalmia nodosa or keratoconjunctivitis
Management: Symptomatic
1. Thorough Wound Cleansing
2. Tetanus prophylaxis
3. Elevate extremity
4. Oral Analgesics
Management: Eye reactions (Ophthalmia nodosa)
1. Immediate ophthalmology referral
Course
1. Bites
  1. Bites have mild effects in humans
  2. Bites may be lethal in animals (esp. dogs)
2. Eye reaction: Ophthalmia nodosa
  1. Risk of Keratitis, Uveitis, chorioretinitis
References

Family Practice Notebook

Patients should address specific medical concerns with their physicians.

Although access to this page is not restricted, the information found here is intended for use by medical providers.

This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, last revised on 10/21/2007 and last published on 5/10/2012.

This is one of 5737 pages in the Family Practice Notebook