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Black Widow Spider Bite (cont.)

Next Steps

Follow-up

Follow-up is always necessary in cases where antivenin is used. Although serum sickness is uncommon with single-vial doses of horse serum, it may occur 7-12 days after exposure and is characterized by skin lesions, fever, pain in the joints, and swollen lymph glands. The symptoms may occur sooner in a sensitized person. The process is self-limited, goes away in 2-3 weeks, and may be treated with antihistamines and steroids.



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Spider Envenomation, Widow »

Widow spiders belong to the genus Latrodectus and include the black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans mactans) in the United States.

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