loxoscelism
(lok-sos'ĕ-lizm 
)
[Loxosceles + -ism]
A painful condition produced by the bite of the brown recluse spider, Loxosceles laeta or L. reclusa.
Diagnosis: Diagnosis is difficult because necrotic lesions are frequently and erroneously attributed to the brown recluse spider and there is no single laboratory test to determine if the venom in a patient is from the spider.
Symptoms and Signs: The most usual symptom for mild poisoning is localized gangrene at the site of the bite; severe poisoning may produce a large area of necrosis up to 15 in (40 cm) across.
Treatment: Dapsone, antivenins, and steroids are often used to treat the envenomation; however, before using dapsone, the patient should be tested for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Tetanus prophylaxis should also be administered.
Patient Care: Since there is no established treatment for the bite of a brown recluse spider and most poisonings are relatively mild, the body will eventually heal itself.
SEE: brown recluse spider; Loxosceles; Sicariidae.