Documented cutaneous loxoscelism in the south of France: an unrecognized condition causing delay in diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Loxoscelism is an envenomation due to a bite by spiders of the genus Loxosceles, very well known on the American continent but unrecognized in Europe. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 36-year-old woman, without any medical history or treatment, who went to a University Hospital in the South of France, for a painful skin lesion on the internal part of her left thigh, which appeared in the morning and developed rapidly during the day. She was directed to the infectious disease department with a diagnosis of skin infection. In spite of the antibiotics, the lesion increased, with a hemorrhagic central blister, an irregular ecchymotic center, a pale perimeter, and an extensive inflammatory and indurate oedema affecting the whole thigh. There was also a low-grade fever, chills, intense pain and a generalized scarlatiniform exanthema. The lesion was finally diagnosed as cutaneous loxoscelism, then confirmed by collection and identification of a Loxosceles rufescens spider killed by the patient the morning of the occurrence of the lesion. Following an initial symptomatic treatment, the development of a necrotic ulcer justified a delayed surgical reconstruction, after stabilization of the lesion. CONCLUSIONS: Loxosceles bites are usually painless and rarely noticed by patients, often leading to a presumptive diagnosis. Therefore, in the case of a dermonecrotic lesion developing unfavourably with antibiotics, cutaneous loxoscelism should be one of the diagnoses to be considered.

[Steatoda spider envenomation in southern France]. / Un cas de stéatodisme observé en Languedoc après morsure d'araignée du genre Steatoda.

INTRODUCTION: Cobweb spiders (genus Steatoda) are small species closely related to black widow spiders and their bites can induce envenomation known as steatodism. CASE: A 46-year-old man in the Gard district in southern France was sleeping in his bed when a spider (identification Steatoda triangulosa) bit him. Clinical manifestations included local signs together with systemic neurological symptoms resembling low-grade latrodectism (black widow envenomation). DISCUSSION: This first-recorded case of steatodism in southern France differs in several ways from the classic pattern of latrodectism in Europe: the bite occurred in home during winter and mild symptoms resolved quickly without hospital care. CONCLUSION: In endemic areas (in France the Mediterranean climate zone: Provence, Languedoc and Corsica), steatodism should be considered when low-grade latrodectism is observed.

[Spider bites: araneidism of medical importance]. / Morsures d'araignées: les aranéismes d'importance médicale.

LIMITED RISKS: Although most species of spiders are venomous, only ten or so are able to induce human envenomations. From a systematic point of view, it is possible to distinguish the araneomorph spiders - or "true" spiders - from the mygalomorph spiders. Dangerous species for humans can be found in both groups. Regarding "true' spiders, two kinds of envenomation are frequent, ubiquitous and potentially severe: latrodectism (neurotoxic symptomatology) due to the Widow spiders of the Latrodectus species,and loxoscelism (viscero-cutaneous symptomatology). Regarding the mygalomorph spiders, the Australian species responsible for atraxism (neurotoxic symptomatology) are considered as the most dangerous. Most of the other mygalomorph spiders, when they bite, only provoke benign loco regional problems. A supplementary defensive weapon exists in certain South-American species: urticating hairs which may induce severe ocular damage.

The family Carabodidae (Acari, Oribatida) VIII. The genus Machadocepheus (first part) Machadocepheusleoneae sp. n. and Machadocepheusrachii sp. n. from Gabon.

The genus Machadocepheus, being one of the more complex genera of the Carabodidae family, is briefly outlined to demonstrate this complexity. Descriptions of two new species from Gabon, Machadocepheusleoneae sp. n. and Machadocepheusrachii sp. n. are given.

Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari, Oribatida) VII. Redefinition of the genus Malgasodes; redescription of M. curvisetus Mahunka, 2000; and complementary description of M. hungarorum Mahunka, 2010. Phylogenetic relationships between Malgasodes, Bovicarabodes, Afticarabodes, Congocepheus and Cavaecarabodes are discussed.

The genus Malgasodes is redefined; the type species M. curvisetus Mahunka, 2000, is redescribed by means of studies using optic and Scanning Electron Microsopy (SEM), and a complementary description of M. hungarorum Mahunka, 2000 is included. Comparison of genera Malgasodes Mahunka, 2000, Bovicarabodes Fernandez, Theron, Rollard, 2013a, Cavaecarabodes Fernandez, Theron, Rollard, Rodriguez Castillo, 2014, Afticarabodes Fernandez, Theron, Rollard, 2013b, and Congocepheus Balogh, 1958 is made. Problems concerning chaetotaxy, regressive evolution and neotrichy are explained and phylogenetic relationships between Malgasodes, Bovicarabodes, Afticarabodes, Congocepheus and Cavaecarabodes are discussed.

Agistemus aimogastaensis sp. n. (Acari, Actinedida, Stigmaeidae), a recently discovered predator of eriophyid mites Aceria oleae and Oxycenus maxwelli, in olive orchards in Argentina.

A new species, Agistemus aimogastaensis, is described with the aid of optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy. This mite is an important predator of two eriophyid mites (Aceria oleae and Oxycenus maxwelli) in olive orchards (Olea europaea, variety Arauco) in La Rioja Province. The problems related to eriophyids in olive orchards in Argentina are highlighted and photos of the damage on leaves and fruit are included.