The Effect of Spider Venom on Muscle Contraction
Jessica Martinez and Stephanie Perez
Eastfield Community College
Overview
A patient with the name Bobby presented with the chief complaint: pain on one arm that originated in one area and has spread up the arm. Along with pain in the arm, the patient experienced sweating and abdominal pain and cramping. The patient explained that he was photographing the sunset at the beach when he felt a burning sensation and realized he had been bit by something small and black. Bobby noticed that the pain became more intense within 20 minutes of the initial burning sensation but ignored it. An hour after the patient was bit, the pain began to spread up his arm and began to experience sweating. It …show more content…
It affects the skeletal muscle which is responsible for movement. The first signs of having contracted the toxin tetanospasmin is the lockjaw which causes spasms of the jaw, face, and neck muscles. This toxin hijacks the nervous system by binding to the inhibitory interneurons of the spinal cord and blocks the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters which prevents the release of the neurotransmitter that is responsible for stopping muscle contraction. In cases of people who have become infected with tetanus will present with headaches, fever, sweating, high blood pressure, trouble swallowing, and a fast heart rate and can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and may take months to recover completely. This process leads to the continuation of muscle contraction. In Bobby’s case, the toxin syndrome latrodectism caused the prolongation of muscle contraction on his affected arm because the venom will cause the release of acetylcholine, which is the neurotransmitter that is released through exocytosis and diffuses across the synaptic cleft and then binds to its receptor, causing the muscle contraction. The toxin in the venom from the Katipo spider does not inhibit the neurons from the spinal cord which is why the muscle contractions are local. Although tetanus and the effect of the toxin in the Katipo spider have similar effects and …show more content…
Most cases of these spider bites are rarely fatal, but it can cause severe local or systemic pain. The treatment recommended to relieve the symptoms is widow spider antivenom therapy, which will start to work in the span of one to two hours once it is administered. In most cases only two ampoules of antivenom are required (Graudins and Nicholson, 2003). The reason that black widow spider antivenom works well with a katipo bite is because they are from the same family of arachnids.
References
Leggat, P. A., Shaw, M. M., & Mitne, C. J. (2002). Traveling to New Zealand. Journal Of Travel Medicine, 9(5), 257.
Nicholson, G., & Graudins, A. (2003). Antivenoms for the Treatment of Spider Envenomation†. Journal Of Toxicology -- Toxin Reviews, 22(1), 35.
Revolvy, L. (n.d.). "Latrodectism" . Retrieved November 09, 2017, from http://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Latrodectism
Spider bites. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/accidents-and-injuries/bites-and-stings/spider-bites
Tetanus. (2017, January 10). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from
Jessica Martinez and Stephanie Perez
Eastfield Community College
Overview
A patient with the name Bobby presented with the chief complaint: pain on one arm that originated in one area and has spread up the arm. Along with pain in the arm, the patient experienced sweating and abdominal pain and cramping. The patient explained that he was photographing the sunset at the beach when he felt a burning sensation and realized he had been bit by something small and black. Bobby noticed that the pain became more intense within 20 minutes of the initial burning sensation but ignored it. An hour after the patient was bit, the pain began to spread up his arm and began to experience sweating. It …show more content…
It affects the skeletal muscle which is responsible for movement. The first signs of having contracted the toxin tetanospasmin is the lockjaw which causes spasms of the jaw, face, and neck muscles. This toxin hijacks the nervous system by binding to the inhibitory interneurons of the spinal cord and blocks the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters which prevents the release of the neurotransmitter that is responsible for stopping muscle contraction. In cases of people who have become infected with tetanus will present with headaches, fever, sweating, high blood pressure, trouble swallowing, and a fast heart rate and can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and may take months to recover completely. This process leads to the continuation of muscle contraction. In Bobby’s case, the toxin syndrome latrodectism caused the prolongation of muscle contraction on his affected arm because the venom will cause the release of acetylcholine, which is the neurotransmitter that is released through exocytosis and diffuses across the synaptic cleft and then binds to its receptor, causing the muscle contraction. The toxin in the venom from the Katipo spider does not inhibit the neurons from the spinal cord which is why the muscle contractions are local. Although tetanus and the effect of the toxin in the Katipo spider have similar effects and …show more content…
Most cases of these spider bites are rarely fatal, but it can cause severe local or systemic pain. The treatment recommended to relieve the symptoms is widow spider antivenom therapy, which will start to work in the span of one to two hours once it is administered. In most cases only two ampoules of antivenom are required (Graudins and Nicholson, 2003). The reason that black widow spider antivenom works well with a katipo bite is because they are from the same family of arachnids.
References
Leggat, P. A., Shaw, M. M., & Mitne, C. J. (2002). Traveling to New Zealand. Journal Of Travel Medicine, 9(5), 257.
Nicholson, G., & Graudins, A. (2003). Antivenoms for the Treatment of Spider Envenomation†. Journal Of Toxicology -- Toxin Reviews, 22(1), 35.
Revolvy, L. (n.d.). "Latrodectism" . Retrieved November 09, 2017, from http://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Latrodectism
Spider bites. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from http://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/accidents-and-injuries/bites-and-stings/spider-bites
Tetanus. (2017, January 10). Retrieved November 09, 2017, from