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Arthropods, basic features
Arthropods, basic features
Arachnids, basic features
Arachnids, basic features
Brown recluse spider bite on the hand
Brown recluse spider bite on the hand

Brown recluse spider
Definition:
Poisoning by a bite from a brown recluse spider.

Poisonous Ingredient:
  • Brown recluse spider venom
Where Found:
  • Most common in the South and Central states, especially in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Louisiana, eastern Texas, and Oklahoma. They have also been reported in several large cities outside this range.
  • Prefers dark, sheltered areas, such as under porches and in woodpiles.
Symptoms:

Body as a whole:

  • no immediate pain or an initial sharp sting
  • pain developing within the first several hours after being bitten
  • pain becoming severe
  • general feeling of discomfort
  • formation of an ulcer (rash) in the area of the bite within the first 24 hours
  • chills
  • fever
  • sweating

Skin:

  • reddish to purplish color to skin in area around bite
  • itching
  • red or purplish blister

In rare cases:

Home Treatment:

Apply a cold pack and administer an antibiotic such as erythromycin. Then seek immediate medical attention.
Before Calling Emergency:

Before calling emergency, determine the following:

  • patient's age, weight, and condition
  • area(s) bitten
  • time bitten
  • identity of the spider, if possible.

The patient should be taken to the Emergency Room for treatment. They will treat the symptoms, either with medications or with surgical excision of the bite. The symptoms at the time of the bite may not appear to be very severe and may take a while to progress to a more severe state. However, treatment is important to minimize the damage done from the bite. If possible, bring the spider to the emergency room for identification.
Poison Control, or a local emergency number:
When you call, you will be instructed on what to do immediately following the bite, and then the patient should be taken to the Emergency Room. See Poison Control Centers for telephone numbers and addresses.
Expectations (prognosis):
There have been fatalities linked to brown recluse spider bites and they are more common in children. With proper medical attention, survival past 48 hours usually indicates that recovery will follow. The ulceration (rash) may take up to six weeks to heal, with proper care.
Review Date: 3/15/2001
Reviewed By: Alan Greene, M.D., F.A.A.P., Stanford University School of Medicine; Chief Medical Officer, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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