Venomous and poisonous arthropods: identification, clinical manifestations of envenomation, and treatments used in human injuriesĭirectory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)įull Text Available Abstract This review presents the main species of venomous and poisonous arthropods, with commentary on the clinical manifestations provoked by the toxins and therapeutic measures used to treat human envenomations.

This review discusses the clinical presentation and latest treatment recommendations for bites and stings from spiders, scorpions, bees, ants, ticks and centipedes of North America. An individual stung by an insect or bitten by an arachnid may experience pain and local swelling, an anaphylactic reaction, or life-threatening toxicity. Encounters with humans are generally defensive, accidental, or reactive. Arthropods are also nocturnal and often bite unsuspecting victims while they are sleeping. Although arthropods are most intrusive during warmer months, many are active throughout the winter, particularly indoors. They are ubiquitous in domestic dwellings, caves, and campsites and in wilderness settings such as deserts, forests, and lakes. Arthropods (phylum Arthopoda) account for a higher percentage of morbidity and mortality to humans than do mammalian bites, snake bites, or marine envenomation.

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