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Necrotising arachnidism PDF Print E-mail
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 White Tailed spiderproportion 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

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Copyright 2003-2007 Centre for Urban Habitats

BioCity: The Centre for Urban Habitats is a research centre in the University of Adelaide
located in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences in the Faculty of Sciences

BioCity was established with the financial assistance of the Adelaide City Council from 2003-2005

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