Introduction As any person ventures into an increased pressure environment, they begin to absorb the inert gasses in their breathing media in proportion to the percentage of each gas inspired (Dalton’s law). In the air, the bulk of the inert gas is nitrogen (approximately 78%), and the gas is absorbed based on the amount of […]

Introduction The Hymenoptera order includes over 150,000 different species of flying and non-flying insects. Some species within this order have modified ovipositors (female reproductive organs) which can also act as stingers. Hymenopteran stings only cause local inflammation in most people. However, they also account for the largest percentage of envenomation-related deaths in the United States. […]

Introduction In the United States, Loxosceles reclusa or brown recluse spiders are found mostly in the south, west, and midwest areas. They are usually in dark areas such as under rocks, in the bark of dead trees, attics, basements, cupboards, drawers, boxes, bedsheets, or similar locations. Dermonecrotic arachnidism is the local tissue injury that results from brown recluse spider envenomation, while […]

Introduction The black widow spider species, also known by its biological nomenclature as the Latrodectus species is one of more than 40,000 different species of spiders. Clinically, it is one of most significant species of spiders worldwide. Within the United States, it is responsible for most of the clinically significant envenomation among all species of spiders. There are more […]

Introduction Snakebites are responsible for a significant degree of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in low resource countries. There are over 600 identified species of venomous snakes worldwide, with the majority belonging to the Viperidae and Elapidae families. Common names among the Viperidae family are vipers, pit vipers, and adders. Distinguishing features of the Viperidae […]

Venomous snakes found in the United States include rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths/water moccasins, and coral snakes. A venomous bite is called an “envenomation.” Although death from venomous snake bites is rare, a worker with a severe envenomation or allergy to snake venom can die from a venomous bite. Each year, an estimated 7,000–8,000 people are bitten […]

During extremely hot and humid weather, your body’s ability to cool itself is challenged. When the body heats too rapidly to cool itself properly, or when too much fluid or salt is lost through dehydration or sweating, body temperature rises and you or someone you care about may experience a heat-related illness. It is important […]

The disorders of hyperthermia, also known as heat-related injury or illness, exist on a continuum, which is marked by dysregulation of the body’s thermoregulatory capacity. This condition can vary both in presentation and in severity, from benign conditions, including heat cramps and heat edema, to life-threatening hyperthermia, also known as heatstroke. It is essential to be able to […]

Cold weather-related injuries include: injuries due to decreased temperature (hypothermia, frostbite, nonfreezing cold injury), injuries due to heaters, carbon monoxide poisoning, and accidents due to impaired physical and/or mental function resulting from cold stress. Cold weather injuries can also occur in warmer ambient temperatures when an individual is wet due to rain or water immersion. […]

Drowning is defined as a process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in a liquid medium. To delineate the incident’s outcome, this is further divided into descriptive terms such as death, morbidity, and no morbidity. Wet drowning, dry drowning, and near-drowning are no longer accepted terms, although they may still be used when discussing drowning. […]