Spider Bites in Libya

Aims: To highlight signs and symptoms of suspected spider bites and to evaluate local and systemic manifestations to suspect the more prevalent type of spider bites if Loxoscelism or Latrodectism, also to widen knowledge of physicians about not well known disease in Libya.

Study Design: Prospective case- series study.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was performed in dermatology department of Zliten Medical Center, which is the largest and main governmental general hospital in Zliten city. The study period was 3 years started 1st Sept. 2017 and finished on 31th Aug. 2020.

Methodology: The study has included patients from all age groups; with spider bites, nevertheless the culprit spider was seen or not. The diagnosis in cases, who did not see spiders, was mainly clinical, with or without presence of dermal necrosis. The other involvement criteria were painless bite involving proximal covered extremities or trunk.

Results: Thirty eight patients were involved (32 females, and 6 males), the majority (76%) have not seen the culprit spider. The most frequently bitten sites of the body were proximal extremities and trunk.

Local skin necrosis was the main clinical features and was seen in 71% of patients, furthermore, the majority (76 %) had developed mild systemic symptoms like fever, headache, nausea.

Conclusion: Dermonecrosis is one of main features of spider bites in Libya, and mild systemic symptoms are common, while severe systemic symptoms or complications were not registered, that the most likely disease caused by spider bites in Libya seems to be Loxoscelism. Therefore, studies to identify the culprit spiders are mandatory.