Location
Moultrie, GA
Start Date
7-5-2025 1:00 PM
End Date
7-5-2025 4:00 PM
Description
Arachnids are known to seek out dark, undisturbed areas, where they can be secluded. Although generally not known for their aggression towards humans, they are known to bite when prompted. Most bites occur unknowingly while cleaning a storage area, putting on clothing/shoes, doing yard-work, or even rolling over in bed. Often, the bite is painless. The severity of a patient’s reaction to the bite originates from the genus of arachnida, the amount of venom injected, and the individual’s sensitivity to it. Several types of arachnid venoms are known to be cytotoxic and hemolytic. While many initial bites are commonly painless, they can become increasingly painful over time. In rare circumstances, their venom is known to cause additional symptoms such as joint pain, seizures, organ failure, myalgias, death, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), fever, weakness, malaise, hemolytic anemia, nausea, and headache.
We present the case of a 41 y/o female who presented with chest pain, generalized body aches, nausea, fatigue, and left lower limb pain. The patient initially noticed a lesion on her left lower extremity while shaving on the day of presentation and reported that it was rapidly spreading upwards alongside a sudden onset of fatigue and pain. Patient met sepsis criteria upon admission with leukocytosis, tachycardia, tachypnea, fever, and source of infection of possible cellulitis of the lower extremity. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was negative for pulmonary embolism, chest X-ray showed no acute findings, venous doppler revealed no deep vein thrombosis, and computed tomography (CT) of lower left extremity showed soft tissue edema throughout the calf consistent with cellulitis, no abscess, skin thickening, or osseous involvement. Patient was started on IV Vancomycin and Zosyn with no initial improvement and worsening symptoms over the course of several days. Antibiotics were then changed to meropenem with no improvement. Initial blood culture, wound culture, and MRSA tests cultures were negative. A five millimeter punch biopsy was then performed that showed benign skin with nonspecific hemorrhagic changes. The patient then underwent several months of wound care initially starting inpatient and continuing in the outpatient setting.
This report presents a case about the unusual etiology of the patient’s condition of venomous arachnidism with discussion of the variety of the differential diagnosis that were considered while patient was actively managed.
Embargo Period
6-4-2026
Arachnidism leading to a complicated infection in a middle aged female
Moultrie, GA
Arachnids are known to seek out dark, undisturbed areas, where they can be secluded. Although generally not known for their aggression towards humans, they are known to bite when prompted. Most bites occur unknowingly while cleaning a storage area, putting on clothing/shoes, doing yard-work, or even rolling over in bed. Often, the bite is painless. The severity of a patient’s reaction to the bite originates from the genus of arachnida, the amount of venom injected, and the individual’s sensitivity to it. Several types of arachnid venoms are known to be cytotoxic and hemolytic. While many initial bites are commonly painless, they can become increasingly painful over time. In rare circumstances, their venom is known to cause additional symptoms such as joint pain, seizures, organ failure, myalgias, death, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), fever, weakness, malaise, hemolytic anemia, nausea, and headache.
We present the case of a 41 y/o female who presented with chest pain, generalized body aches, nausea, fatigue, and left lower limb pain. The patient initially noticed a lesion on her left lower extremity while shaving on the day of presentation and reported that it was rapidly spreading upwards alongside a sudden onset of fatigue and pain. Patient met sepsis criteria upon admission with leukocytosis, tachycardia, tachypnea, fever, and source of infection of possible cellulitis of the lower extremity. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was negative for pulmonary embolism, chest X-ray showed no acute findings, venous doppler revealed no deep vein thrombosis, and computed tomography (CT) of lower left extremity showed soft tissue edema throughout the calf consistent with cellulitis, no abscess, skin thickening, or osseous involvement. Patient was started on IV Vancomycin and Zosyn with no initial improvement and worsening symptoms over the course of several days. Antibiotics were then changed to meropenem with no improvement. Initial blood culture, wound culture, and MRSA tests cultures were negative. A five millimeter punch biopsy was then performed that showed benign skin with nonspecific hemorrhagic changes. The patient then underwent several months of wound care initially starting inpatient and continuing in the outpatient setting.
This report presents a case about the unusual etiology of the patient’s condition of venomous arachnidism with discussion of the variety of the differential diagnosis that were considered while patient was actively managed.