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Bites and stings of medically important venomous arthropods
Author(s) -
Vetter Richard S.,
MS .,
Visscher P. Kirk
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-4362.1998.00455.x
Subject(s) - entomology , library science , forensic entomology , medicine , biology , ecology , veterinary medicine , forensic science , computer science
About 75% of the world’s animal species are arthropods. While most of these species have no appreciable interaction with humans, a few cause significant medical or agricultural problems. This review is concerned with the small number of medically detrimental species which possess venom that causes morbidity and mortality when humans are bitten or stung. We restrict our discussion to the most important groups of venomous arthropods, the arachnids (spiders, scorpions) and insects of the order Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants). These species have a venom apparatus consisting of a gland or pair of glands and a system (fang, sting) meant to inject venom. Beyond the scope of this review are arthropods that employ toxins without delivery systems (i.e. topical noxious repellents) or those which vector disease. This review covers the relevant species worldwide (focusing on North America species), with special reference to the dermatologic expression of the injury. Toxicologically, there is far more diversity in spider venoms than in the venoms of Hymenoptera and scorpions, so that the correct identification of spider bites has special significance. Spiders are rarely correctly identified by bite victims or their physicians and are readily transported by human commerce out of their native range. There are stellar reviews of the toxicology of arthropod venoms and poisons,1,2 as well as an excellent quick guide to bites and stings of arthropods.3