Hemolytic Anemia Following Brown Spider (Loxosceles reclusa) Bite

Abstract

Hemolytic anemia is an uncommon but serious complication of brown spider bites. Although there is no specific therapy for this complication, the patient should be treated promptly with supportive care and should be observed carefully for possible development of renal failure or disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, complications which may be fatal. In spite of severe hemolytic anemia and hemoglobinuria, a boy did not develop skin ulceration. This patient had many spherocytes and also Heinz bodies at the time of hemolysis, both of which were absent later.