Publications
RS Vetter publications regarding medically important spiders
If you would like an electronic copy of the article contact, vetter@ucr.edu and it will be emailed to you.
Vetter, R. S. 2010. Myths based in science and medicine – how they initiate, propagate, and the role of peer-review research in dispelling them. Perspect. Agric. Veterin. Sci. Nutrition Natur. Resources [invited review] (in press as of June 2010)
Vetter, R. S. 2009. The distribution of the brown recluse spider in the southeastern quadrant of the United States in relation to loxoscelism diagnoses. Southern Med. J. 102: 518-522. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. 2009. Arachnids misidentified as brown recluse spiders by medical personnel and other authorities in North America. Toxicon 54: 545-547. *PDF
Vetter, R. S., N. C. Hinkle and L. M. Ames. 2009. Distribution of the brown recluse spider (Araneae: Sicariidae) in Georgia with a comparison of poison center reports of envenomations. J. Med. Entomol. 46: 15-20. *PDF
Pace, L. B. and R. S. Vetter. 2009. Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) envenomation in small animals. J. Veterinary Emerg. Crit. Care 19:329-336. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. and S. Hillebrecht. 2008. Distinguishing two often-misidentified genera (Cupiennius, Phoneutria) (Araneae: Ctenidae) of large spiders found in Central and South American cargo shipments. Amer. Entomol. 54:82-87. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. 2008. Spiders of the genus Loxosceles (Araneae, Sicariidae): a review of biological, medical and psychological aspects regarding envenomations. J. Arachnol. 36:150-163. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. and G. K. Isbister. 2008. Medical aspects of spider bites. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 53: 409-429. *PDF
Frithsen, I. L., R. S. Vetter and I. C. Stocks. 2007. Reports of envenomation by brown recluse spiders outnumber verified specimens of Loxosceles spiders in South Carolina. J. Amer. Board Fam. Med. 20:483-488. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. and D. L. Swanson. 2007. Of spiders and zebras: publication of inadequately documented loxoscelism case reports. J. Amer. Academy Dermatol. 56:1063-1064. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. 2008. Brown recluse and other recluse spiders: Integrated pest management in and around the home. Univ. Calif. Pest Notes #7468, 6pp. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7468.html
Vetter, R. S., B. B. Pagac, R. W. Reiland, D. T. Bolesh and D. L. Swanson. 2006. Skin lesions in barracks: consider community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection instead of spider bites. Military Medicine 171: 830-832. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. and J. O. Schmidt. 2006. Semantics of toxinology. Toxicon 48:1-3. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. and G. K. Isbister. 2006. Verified bites by the woodlouse spider, Dysdera crocata. Toxicon 47:826-829. *PDF
Vetter, R. S., G. K. Isbister, S. P. Bush and L. J. Boutin. 2006. Verified bites by Cheiracanthium spiders in the United States and Australia: where is the necrosis? Amer. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 74:1043-1048. *PDF
Swanson, D. L. and R. S. Vetter. 2006. Loxoscelism. Clin. Dermatol. 24:213-221. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. and R. B. Furbee. 2006. Caveats in interpreting poison control centre data for spider bites in epidemiology studies. Public Health 120: 179-181. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. 2005. Arachnids submitted as suspected brown recluse spiders (Araneae: Sicariidae): Loxosceles spiders are virtually restricted to their known distributions but are perceived to exist throughout the United States. J. Med. Entomol. 42:512-521 *PDF
Isbister, G. K. and R. S. Vetter. 2005. Necrotic arachnidism: more myths and minor corrections. [Letter] Annals Emerg. Medicine 46: 205-206.
Vetter, R. S. and D. L. Swanson. 2005. Arthropods in dermatology: errors in arachnology [Letter]. J Amer Acad Dermatol. 52: 923. *PDF
Swanson, D. L. and R. S. Vetter. 2005. Bites of brown recluse spiders and suspected necrotic arachnidism. New Engl. J. Med. 352:700-707.
Vetter, R. S. and G. K. Isbister. 2004. Do hobo spider bites cause dermonecrotic injuries? Annals Emerg. Med. 44:605-607. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. and S. P. Bush. 2004. Additional considerations regarding brown recluse spider bites and dapsone therapy [Letter]. Amer. J. Emerg. Med. 22: 494-495.
Bennett, R. G. and R. S. Vetter. 2004. Erroneous attribution of dermonecrotic lesions to brown recluse or hobo spiders in Canada. Canadian Family Physician 50:1098-1101 *PDF
Vetter, R. S. 2004. Myths about spider envenomations and necrotic skin lesions. Lancet 364:484-485. *PDF
Vetter, R. S., G. B. Edwards and L. F. James. 2004. Reports of envenomation by brown recluse spiders (Araneae: Sicariidae) outnumber verifications of Loxosceles spiders in Florida. J. Medical Entomol. 41:593-597 *PDF
Vetter, R. S., P. E. Cushing, R. L. Crawford and L. A. Royce. 2003. Diagnoses of brown recluse spider bites (loxoscelism) greatly outnumber actual verifications of the spider in four western American states. Toxicon 42:413-418 *PDF
Vetter, R. S. 2003. Brown recluse spider bite diagnoses and lawsuits. Pediatric Emergency Care. 19:291-292 *PDF
Vetter, R. S., A. H. Roe, R. G. Bennett, C. R. Baird, L. A. Royce, W. T. Lanier, A. L. Antonelli and P.E. Cushing. 2003. Distribution of the medically-implicated hobo spider (Araneae: Agelenidae) and its harmless congener, Tegenaria duellica in the United States and Canada. J. Med. Entomol. 40: 159-164. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. and D. K. Barger. 2002. An infestation of 2,055 brown recluse spiders (Araneae: Sicariidae) and no envenomations in a Kansas home: implications for bite diagnoses in non-endemic areas. J. Med. Entomol. 39:948-951. *PDF
Vetter, R. S. and S. P. Bush. 2002. Chemical burn misdiagnosed as brown recluse spider bite. Amer. J. Emerg. Medicine 20: 68-69.
Vetter, R. S. and S. P. Bush. 2002. The diagnosis of brown recluse spider bite is overused for dermonecrotic wounds of uncertain etiology. Ann. Emerg. Medicine 39: 544-546.
Vetter, R. S. and S. P. Bush. 2002. Reports of presumptive brown recluse spider bites reinforce improbable diagnosis in regions of North America where the spider is not endemic. Clinical Infectious Diseases 35:442-445 *PDF
Vetter, R. S. 2000. Myth: idiopathic wounds are often due to brown recluse or other spider bites throughout the United States. Western J. Medicine 173:357-358 *PDF
Vetter, R. S. 1999. Identifying and misidentifying the brown recluse spider. Dermatol. Online 5 (2): http://dermatology.cdlib.org/DOJvol5num2/special/recluse.html
Vetter, R.S. 1998. Envenomation by an agelenid spider, Agelenopsis aperta, previously considered harmless. Ann. Emerg. Med. 32:739-741. *** common spider was misidentified as a brown recluse by doctor***