What is Necrotising arachnidism?
Necrotising arachnidism is condition of blistering, ulceration and
destruction (necrosis) of the skin following spider bites.In some cases
there is ongoing pain and skin gafts are required.
The White Tailed spider (Lampona sp.) and the Black Widow or Black
House spider (Badumna sp.) are capable of causing this painful
condition and both are commonly found in houses throughout Australia.
The majority of people bitten by these spiders will suffer only minor
local reactions. As the majority of spider bites are not reported, the proportion of bites that result in necrosis is unknown.
The reasons why some people appear to develop more extensive skin
lesions are unknown. It may be that only some species of spiders are
associated with skin necrosis. (There are several species of white
tailed spiders, all of a similar appearance.) It is possible that the
spider's sex or geographic location may be important, or that venom
composition or contents of the spiders' gastrointestinal tract may vary
over time. Patient factors such as underlying vascular disease or
immune response to the bite may also be involved. REF8
Venom links
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