Citation

Swanson DL, Vetter RS. New Engl. J. Med. 2005; 352(7): 700-707.

Affiliation

Department of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Ariz 85259, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Massachusetts Medical Society)

DOI

10.1056/NEJMra041184

PMID

15716564

Abstract

Cutaneous injury caused by spider venom has been recognized by physicians in the United States only since the late 1950s, with recluse spiders (genus loxosceles) most frequently implicated. During the past five decades, the growing popular belief that spiders cause many cases of skin necrosis in the United States has resulted in the presumption that brown recluse spiders are to blame, even in geographic areas where they are extremely rare or nonexistent.