Nephrotic syndrome due to minimal change disease secondary to spider bite: clinico-pathological case of a non-described complication of latrodectism

The patient was an 18-year-old man who developed nephrotic syndrome after a ‘wheat spider’ bite (Latrodectus mactans). Due to this atypical manifestation of latrodectism, a renal biopsy was performed showing minimal change disease. The nephrotic syndrome subsided after 1 week without specific treatment. This self-limited evolution suggests that the mechanism of podocyte damage was temporary and potentially mediated by a secondary mechanism of hypersensitivity or direct effect of the α-latrotoxin. The patient did not show signs of relapse in subsequent checkup. This is the first reported case of nephrotic syndrome due to a minimal change lesion secondary to latrodectism.