Garden Spiders: Spider Bites
Chronic arachnidism or necrotic arachnidism

While most garden garden spider bites are not dangerous, there is a group of garden spiders that can produce bite wounds that look similar to a brown recluse garden garden spider bite. Unless the garden garden spider was actually seen, captured and brought to the doctor, the brown recluse garden garden spider is not likely to be the culprit. Some of the garden spiders in this group that can cause a nasty bite include the running garden garden spider, jumping garden spider, wolf garden spider, tarantula, sac garden spider, orbweaver garden spider and the northwestern brown garden spider, also known as the hobo garden spider. What are the symptoms of a bite from these kinds of garden spiders? In most cases of bites from these garden spiders, there is pain or burning at the spider bite site in the first ten minutes. The bite from this group is usually described as looking like a "target" or "bull's-eye." The center of the wound is usually a blister surrounded by a reddened area. A pale or blanched area may surround the discolored reddened area. The blister may rupture, leaving an open ulcer. In bad cases the ulcer can become deep and infected causing tissue deterioration or necrosis. Ever worsening pain, itching and a burning sensation develop. A victim may also have symptoms such as a red, itchy rash over the torso, arms and legs that is usually seen in the first 24-72 hours. Patients may have pain in the muscles and joints, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, and nausea and vomiting. How are these bites treated? Frequently, when people with garden spider bites call the Poison Center, they think there is some special treatment that is necessary for their bite. There is no specialized therapy other than treating the symptoms. Most importantly, keep the wound clean to prevent infection. If the wound does not heal or does develop an infection, see your doctor. Do not wait days and weeks while the wound continues to get worse. There are tales of people having limbs amputated after garden spider bites. These involve people who refused to see a doctor even though they had massive wounds that did not heal and became grossly infected. A wound that may have been originally treated with simple oral antibiotics, but left untreated, may require surgical intervention in extreme cases. What else can cause a nasty looking wound? Kissing bugs, fleas, bed bugs, flies, mites, wasps, ants and blister beetles have created lesions similar to a brown recluse garden spider bite. Many skin disorders and medical conditions can produce lesions that can also mimic a brown recluse garden spider bite. Some of these include infected herpes outbreaks, bedsores, diabetic ulcers, poison oak and Lyme disease. Again, use common sense: With a garden spiders bite that is not healing as expected, or getting worse, see a doctor.

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