SPIDER BITES ----------------------------------------------------- (1) Brown Recluse Spider (2) Other Spiders (Tegenaria, the Yellow Sac Spider, Wolf Spider) -------------------- BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER -------------------- The antivenom is no longer being tested for brown recluse spider bites at Vanderbilt. Since the late 1980s the standard therapy for bites are early and agressive Rest Ice Elevation The venom is a an enzyme, lysophospholipase D, that does not function when cooled. Ice probably works better than anything for early bites. We also treated early bites with antibiotics (cephalosporin, erythromycin). For necrotic bites, dapsone has been and continues to be used despite double blinded studies. In chronic bites, anti-neutrophil therapy is used. Generally a combination of multiple therapies. Trey Truett, MD --------------- LLoyd King has suggested that the Brown Recluse Spider may be as close as the nearest item of airline baggage regardless of its geographic destination. Are spider maps becoming an endangered or ever-changing art form? Probabilities aside, are they clinically relevant? Norman W Winkler ---------------- ------------- OTHER SPIDERS ------------- With the recent exchanges regarding Recluse Spider bites, this bit of info seems apropos. This weekend, as we watched a large hairy spider languidly crossing our carpet, my children, wife and I debated its taxonomy - then captured it and "exported" it to the garden. It was a wolf spider, I surmised, not a Brown Recluse. Living in the NW, I recalled being told there are NO BROWN RECLUSE SPIDERS in this area. What a relief. So, to be sure, I did a web search and discovered a lot of info. First, for those wishing to know the actual range of the Recluse, which isquite narrow, go to the URL below for a map. The Tegenara Agrestis, referred to on the map DOES live in the NW and does bite, but usually without quite the serious result of the Recluse (so I am told). http://www.oda.state.or.us/Plant/spidermap.gif I also highly recommend the Arachnology Home Page for lots of useful info. http://www.ufsia.ac.be/Arachnology/Arachnology.html Next, I sent a query to a member of the Arachnology mailing list, asking for help in differentiating the Aggressive House Spider (T. Agrestis) from the Wolf spider I saw thisweekend. I got several helpful replies from various scholars on the subject. A frequent suggestionfor identification was the book "Golden Nature Guide, Spiders and Their Kin" by Levi. Several spider experts were recommended as well. These include Darwin Vest GSGP650@Prodigy.com for info on bites. Also, Finley Russell at UCLA (no address given) Hope this is interesting. For most of us, when a person thinks they have been bitten by a Brown Recluse, a simple glance at the map mentioned above will determine if this is likely or not. Jerry Eisner ------------- Jerry pointed out a very interesting resource on the Web -- information on spiders. I also found at the same site as the spider map, a report on necrotic bites produced by Tegenaria, the house spider. That is at http://www.oda.state.or.us/Plant/spider.html I just spoke with one of the entomologists at UC Davis about these spiders. I am not sure how established it is that Tegenaria produces necrotic bites, but probably more likely than the violin spider. We see presumed spider bites once in a while, with inflammation and minimal necrosis, so I was curious about Tegenaria being in this area. It is. Does anyone else see necrotic reactions, presumed spider bites, in areas that do not have the violin spider? Art Huntley MD -------------- Serendipity again. I just saw a woman ten minutes ago who claimed to have been bitten by a brown recluse on the right temple. She had a shallow necrotic 1cm ulcer, prominent adenopathy of the right lateral cervical chain, and a headache. She actually slapped the spider and crushed it but didn't save it.I doubt if it was a brown recluse. Haines Ely Grass Valley California ----------------------- Haines, judging from the map, if the bite was in California, it was not a Recluse. Art, I do see bites I feel are spider bites. I got another interesting response from the Spider mailing list as you can see below. The bites I see show lots of acute inflamation, surrounding erythema, bullae, and occasional constitutional sx like fever and arthralgias. They last a relatively short time, and respond to conservative measures and steroids. Dr. Eisner: I noted your request, which was posted by one of the participants in the arachnology mailing list. In Washington you have three significantly venomous spiders: They are the hobo spider (Tegenaria agrestis), the yellow sac spider (Cheiracanthium sp.) and the western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus). The wolf spiders are not clinically significant to humans ---------- He went on to mention a web page under construction, the URL of which he did not want distributed yet, which would cover venomous spiders. Jerry Eisner ------------ Found the spider map interesting. However, in Tucson I've had several patients who have been biten by a "brown spider" (very close relative of the brown recluse) who have had dramatic necrotic lesions. One patient had a 10 cm. necrotic bite on the inner thigh which extended to muscle and was associated with significant systemic symptoms as well as moderate hemolysis. Sooo, map may be helpful, but does not reflect the entire story about necrotic arthropod bites. James G. Rothschild, M.D. -------------------------