What is the medical term for the skin lesions caused by Loxosceles reclusa venom?

What is the medical term for the skin lesions caused by Loxosceles reclusa venom?

• A. Dermatitis
• B. Arachnidism
• C. Dermonecrotic arachnidism
• D. Spiderskin necrosis

Answer: (C)

The key idea is naming the skin damage caused by a brown recluse spider’s venom. That venom causes tissue death in the skin, so the most precise medical term for the resulting lesions is dermonecrotic arachnidism. “Derm-” means skin, “necrotic” indicates tissue death, and “arachnidism” refers to effects from arachnids. This term specifically describes the necrotic skin lesions from the bite, whereas dermatitis would imply general inflammation without necrosis, and arachnidism is too broad a label for this particular necrotic response. A common umbrella term for this condition is loxoscelism, but the lesion description itself is best captured by dermonecrotic arachnidism.

The key idea is naming the skin damage caused by a brown recluse spider’s venom. That venom causes tissue death in the skin, so the most precise medical term for the resulting lesions is dermonecrotic arachnidism. “Derm-” means skin, “necrotic” indicates tissue death, and “arachnidism” refers to effects from arachnids. This term specifically describes the necrotic skin lesions from the bite, whereas dermatitis would imply general inflammation without necrosis, and arachnidism is too broad a label for this particular necrotic response. A common umbrella term for this condition is loxoscelism, but the lesion description itself is best captured by dermonecrotic arachnidism.