Spider bitten patient may lose his leg

[Lite Beer]

Spider bitten patient may lose his leg

PHRAE: -- A patient who was bitten by a poisonous spider in Phrae province might have his leg amputated to prevent further damages to other body organs from the poison.

The patient, Uthai Wiangkham, is now being treated in the intensive care unit at the Phrae General Hospital.

Meanwhile the Siriraj medical team has revealed the findings of tests made and found that the spider was a brown tarantula and not the feared brown ‘Back Widow’ spider.

Phrae General Hospital director Dr Wanchai Lohkarnjanarat revealed that the patient’s condition is now stable and that the medical team had no choice but to amputate his right leg due to the extensive damage to tissue.

The wound was found to have been inflicted by a poisonous insect or animal but the resulting infection stems from relatives not cleaning the wound and treating it with herbs.

Medical teams from the Siriraj General Hospital and the Chulalongkorn Faculty of Medicine released tests result which shows that the bite was from a brown tarantula and not the brown colored ‘Black Widow’ spider as originally feared.

The victim’s wounds also showed signs of extensive bacterial infection which in turn resulted in low white blood cell and platelet count.

The patient’s liver and kidney functions have also been severely impaired.

This is the first case of its kind reported in the country.

Doctors said that the victim was fortunate as a bite from a ‘Black Widow’ spider would have been fatal.

Tarantulas and ‘Black Widow’ spiders originate in the American continent and in all likelihood made its way into the country through the wildlife trade.

Tarantulas can be differentiated from the notorious ‘Black Widows’ by the alignment of its six eyes which are arranged in a ‘U’ and not the violin shape found on the deadly ‘Black Widows’.

Professors from the Department of Biology at the Chulalongkorn Medical Faculty stated that the chances of a human being bitten by ‘Black Widow’ spider is small but does happen.

But they also say that venom from ‘Black Widows’ attacks the human nervous system and causes massive damage to the surrounding tissue.

Local paralysis of organs surrounding the bite is also another symptom as the amount of venom secreted is relatively small. Their advice in the event of a spider bite is to clean the wound and quickly seek medical attention.

If possible, the carcass of the spider should also be brought in so that physicians can inspect it and the proper anti-venom be prescribed.

Most cases of spider bites are reported during the rainy season when spiders are most numerous. T

They warn the public to be extra careful during this period but should not be overly alarmed.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/spider-bitten-patient-may-lose-leg/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spider-bitten-patient-may-lose-leg

-- Thai PBS 2014-07-18

[NeverSure]

Neither the tarantula nor the black widow spiders are considered deadly. Tarantula venom has very low toxicity and it's rare for anyone to even get seriously ill from it or the black widow.

This is going to be a case of secondary infection.

[noitom]

The Thai health worker is taking a picture of this poor guy's face suffering but he is not interested in showing the spider type or attending to the leg.

[canuckamuck]

Tarantulas are about ten times the size of black widows. They are completely disimilar and the chance of finding a black widow in Thailand must be astronomically low. But I guess the reporter searched Google for poisonous spider and went with the first thing that popped up.

The guy is sick from the infection, not the bite.

[NeverSure]

They call it the brown black widow spider from the North American Continent. I assure that it is black thus the name. LINK

Occasionally the bite is deadly, but there are other issues involved. Normally it's just a nasty sore spot.

This tarantula bite is going to be a secondary infection with gross negligence on someone's part in getting prompt treatment.

Edited July 19, 2014 by NeverSure

[AGareth2]

nasty creatures around

watch out for those centepedes

[Loptr]

The same nearly happened to me in the Philippines a few years ago... I got a small insect / spider bite on my ankle and didn't notice it till the next day... I put antibiotic cream and a bandage on it and went about my business... Two days later, the bite became abscessed so I went to a hospital to have it treated, took oral antibiotics and the doctor cleaned the wound and bandaged it properly... Two days later my ankle is the size of my knee and red / black streaks running up my leg toward my groin... Into the hospital I went... They finally got the infection under control, but it was very scary... Lesson learned, if something bites you in SEA, don't wait to go to a proper doctor...

[timmyp]

It's shameful to admit, but big spiders just give me the willies. Little cute ones don't bother me, but the ones that are so big you can hear them when move just creep me out.

[Richan]

The same nearly happened to me in the Philippines a few years ago... I got a small insect / spider bite on my ankle and didn't notice it till the next day... I put antibiotic cream and a bandage on it and went about my business... Two days later, the bite became abscessed so I went to a hospital to have it treated, took oral antibiotics and the doctor cleaned the wound and bandaged it properly... Two days later my ankle is the size of my knee and red / black streaks running up my leg toward my groin... Into the hospital I went... They finally got the infection under control, but it was very scary... Lesson learned, if something bites you in SEA, don't wait to go to a proper doctor...

Good story, good to learn from!

If one gets bitten by anything or anyone (your child?), then consider it infected. You need to see a doctor and tell the story. If they tell you to wash the wound and see how it looks tomorrow, go and see another doctor. The worst bite you can get, is from a cat. You can hardly see it, but there is 60% chance, it's infected with pasteurella or worse. So a broadspectrum antibiotic for 8 days more or less. Just an advice.

PS: I don't think antibiotic creme is good for anything, especially not for bitewounds of any kinds!

PPS: Correction: for children with localized superficial staph infections and skin fungus infections in both children and adults, antibiotic creme, if the right kind is chosen, can be beneficial.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Richan

[Emster23]

A case here of the (folk) cure being worse than the illness.

[ezzra]

Tarantulas are about ten times the size of black widows. They are completely disimilar and the chance of finding a black widow in Thailand must be astronomically low. But I guess the reporter searched Google for poisonous spider and went with the first thing that popped up.

The guy is sick from the infection, not the bite.

And that folks, sums up the knowledge of Thai doctors in general, guess, guess and copy

from others.. been there...

[AleG]

Shouldn't the headline be "Man treated with herbs may lose his leg" instead?

I mean, the cautionary tale here is not spider bites can lead to amputation, it is improper higiene and folk remedies can lead to amputation, IMHO and YMMV.

[tomyummer]

I had some mystery insect bite which I didn't really notice until it eventually led to infection and a swelling the size of a ten baht coin. The hospital ended up cutting out a spoonfull of infected flesh and I had to return each day to change the dressing. There were no stitches required. It healed up nicely with a tiny scar.

Then recently I got another bite which I saw leading to the previous condition and started to self medicate with antibiotics. When it didn't get better I swallowed my pride and went back to the hospital where they gave me the right meds. Luckily it healed nicely and the swelling went away.

Lessons learned. With these pain in the ass mystery insect bites, go straight to the doctor.

[dinger]

Which is it he might lose his leg or doctors had no choice but to amputate his right leg?

Sorry for the guy, lots of nasty little creatures here that bite and sting

Edited July 19, 2014 by dinger

[umbanda]

Remember the James Bond's movie with a tarantula walking over Sean Connery? Well...that was a real one. Tarantulas in Brazil are home pets...but Black Widows are really dangerous..It is a nick name for killer wives....

Edited July 19, 2014 by metisdead
Bold font removed again. Please stop using bold font when posting.

[MESmith]

Perhaps, he thought he'd turn into "Spiderman" if he refused medical help....

[featography]

Tarantulas are about ten times the size of black widows. They are completely disimilar and the chance of finding a black widow in Thailand must be astronomically low. But I guess the reporter searched Google for poisonous spider and went with the first thing that popped up.

The guy is sick from the infection, not the bite.

The Thai Brown tarantula measures about 3 inches. By tarantula stats, these are small.

[featography]

Neither the tarantula nor the black widow spiders are considered deadly. Tarantula venom has very low toxicity and it's rare for anyone to even get seriously ill from it or the black widow.

This is going to be a case of secondary infection.

Tell that to the zoo keepers at the Bronx zoo that found the dead adult camel, whose autopsy revealed a black widow sting on the lower lip.

The saving grace to us is the black widow, using its venom to kill its food, is slow to make and stock up more venom. Most bites to animals and humans are due to low quantity of venom in the spider. The venom itself is high on the toxic list.

[Steiner]

Misleading headline, it should read: Man may lose leg because of stupidity of family members and lack of common sense.

[Mrjlh]

Black widows are found on all continents except for the Antarctica. No one knows where they originated from. Opened a box with a computer in it sent from Singapore once while in the states and felt something on my arm. It was a brown spider with the red hour glass. Sent it to the agriculture office and they said it was an Asian Black Widow. They said they are very common all over the world and are slightly different species.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latrodectus

[Richan]

I had some mystery insect bite which I didn't really notice until it eventually led to infection and a swelling the size of a ten baht coin. The hospital ended up cutting out a spoonfull of infected flesh and I had to return each day to change the dressing. There were no stitches required. It healed up nicely with a tiny scar.

Then recently I got another bite which I saw leading to the previous condition and started to self medicate with antibiotics. When it didn't get better I swallowed my pride and went back to the hospital where they gave me the right meds. Luckily it healed nicely and the swelling went away.

Lessons learned. With these pain in the ass mystery insect bites, go straight to the doctor.

Another good story. I'm happy you're OK.

In the SEA's there is plenty of dangerous critters happy to bite you. Normally nothing bad happens. All of them are nasty, but the most dangerous are invisible. Therefore always see a certified doctor, who knows, which bacteria are the most prevalent in your area. I won't deny, it can be interesting and fun to see a local noncertified "specialist", but the one doesn't exclude the other! Or self medicate at the local pharmacy, some times it works! Always plenty of advice from the clerk in the pharmacy.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Richan

[UbonRatch]

I had a tarantula (Mexican red knee) for 16 years, and never got bitten once. The majority are quite placid, and they are more intelligent than people give credit for. They do actually get to know you, as a pet, but the Thai brown is well known as being very very aggressive. Their brain is actually larger than that of a budgie! Most tarantula bites are far from deadly, in fact there isn't a known species deadly to man.

As identified, this is most likely an infection because of lack of prompt treatment, or the boy had a severe allergic reaction to the venom.

Spiders are wonderful species, and watching them give birth to themselves over and over is amazing. They really do make great pets.

Come on y'all, go and buy a tarantula today! JJ has them

[Kabayo66]

Tarantulas are large, hairy and vary in color. Although they are venomous, their bite is not much worse than a bee sting for humans.

Black widows are black, spiny and have an hour-glass shape on their back. Their bite is dangerous to adults and possibly lethal, depending on where you are bitten. I have never heard of a brown black widow.

The brown recluse is small, brown and has a violin shape on its back. They are venomous and their bite is as lethal as a black widow. From the description in the OP, the man was probably bitten by a brown recluse.

[KonKorat]

I have been bitten 2 times by a Redback spider(Australian spider similar to Black Widow),once when 17 yo and 30 years later at 47yo both times were on on the left hand.first time when i was 17yo when i put my hand in the letter box,when straight to the hospital and was treated,very little symptoms at all.2nd time 4 years ago when i was 47yo got bitten again on my left hand,thinking it was just a normal black spider i carried on working at work,i had finished work i got home and became very sick with cramping in the stomach and severe swetting and my skin had a burning itch to like,felt like i had ants under my skin. i collapsed on the kitchen floor,luckily my son arrived home as it happened and i was rushed to hospital and i am here today.Always wonder if my son didn't decide to pop in an see me would have i had died.i have suffered some liver and kidney damaged more so on the liver.But all is good

[doremifasol]

I am very sorry for the man, what an unfortunate ordeal!!!!

Would like to suggest to the readers to always keep a

bottle of "Activated Charcoal Powder" in their medicine cabinet

and first aid kit. It is also known as Activated carbon.

it is tasteless, odorless and non-toxic, could be be administered to pets as well.

I bought mine here in Thailand and always keep it on hand,

over the years used it for insect bites, snake bites, food poisoning, allergic reactions and so on.

Best quality I have found is made from coconut shells or bamboo.

"It is used around the world as a universal antidote for hundreds of poisons, including arsenic,

mercury, pesticides, strychnine, warfarin, hemlock, E. Coli endotoxin, and gasoline.

Over 4,000 chemicals, drugs, plant and microbial toxins, allergens, venoms, and wastes

are effectively neutralized by activated charcoal, when it is given in sufficient quantities.

Activated charcoal is also an effective detox for practically any drug overdose if administered in time.

It counteracts ingested aspirin, barbiturates, Prozac, paracetamol (Tylenol), phenobarbital,

amphetamines, cocaine, morphine, opium, and the list continues endlessly".

Some Other Uses

• Colon cleanse: activated charcoal binds intestinal toxins and unfriendly microbial growth and helps the body excrete them.
• Eliminates diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
• Prevents hangovers: hangovers are usually caused by the chemical toxins put into beverages, and are not usually the result of alcohol consumption.
• Neutralizes food poisoning.
• Neutralizes venomous bites (for instance the brown recluse spider bite) - taken both internally and externally.
• Toothache pain - make into a paste around the tooth
• Acne treatment
• ​Teeth whitener

​Activated charcoal is NOT the same thing as the ashes from burning wood or other fires at home, so please don't try to use those type of ashes for these or any other uses!

Please read more here about use, exceptions and risks :

http://healthwyze.org/index.php/component/content/article/101-essential-first-aid-item-activated-carbon.html

P.S: No information on this post should be construed as medical advice.

Edited July 19, 2014 by doremifasol

[Adeeos]

I'm confused,,, and possibly the staff are also,, They mention, "BROWN" black widow, several times,, then ALSO make mention of a, "violin" shape,,, I know of these spiders well,, MY guess,,, the guy was bit'n by a, "BROWN RECLUSE",,,, VERY nasty bite,,

[smedly]

It's shameful to admit, but big spiders just give me the willies. Little cute ones don't bother me, but the ones that are so big you can hear them when move just creep me out.

I got on my motorbike one day and had been riding for about 2mins and looked down at the speedo area and there was a huge (hand size) thick bodied spider sitting there, it was similar to a tarantula type shape but longer legs and was multi shaded instead of all brown, I stopped the bike and brushed at it with my hand and it literally lept to the ground and ran off lightning speed - that thing was fast

Now I always check inside my helmet before putting it on

[zydeco]

The Brown Recluse isn't in Thailand, is it?

[Krataiboy]

Tarantulas are large, hairy and vary in color. Although they are venomous, their bite is not much worse than a bee sting for humans.

Black widows are black, spiny and have an hour-glass shape on their back. Their bite is dangerous to adults and possibly lethal, depending on where you are bitten. I have never heard of a brown black widow.

The brown recluse is small, brown and has a violin shape on its back. They are venomous and their bite is as lethal as a black widow. From the description in the OP, the man was probably bitten by a brown recluse.

The brown recluse is small, brown and has a violin shape on its back.

A violin spider? Crikey! Even the spiders here are fiddlers!

[Oziex1]

The Black Widow

By Alice Cooper spoken by Vincent Price. CLASSIC.

Welcome To My Nightmare, 1975
Leaving Lepidoptera - please, don't touch the display,
little boy, aha cute! Moving to the next aisle we have
Arachnida, the spiders, our.. finest collection.
This friendly little devil is the Heptathelidae,
unfortunately harmless. Next to him, the nasty Lycosa
raptoria, his tiny fangs cause creeping ulcerations of
the skin *laugh*. And here, my prize, the Black
Widow. Isn't she lovely?.. and so deadly. Her kiss is
fifteen times as poisonous as that of the rattlesnake.
You see her venom is highly neurotoxic, which is to say
that it attacks the central nervous system causing
intense pain, profuse sweating, difficulty in
breathing, loss of consciousness, violent convulsions
and, finally.. death. You know what I think I love the
most about her is her inborn need to dominate, possess. In fact, immediately after the consummation

of her marriage to the smaller and weaker male of the
species she kills and eats him - *laugh* oh, she is
delicious.. and I hope he was! Such power and dignity
- unhampered by sentiment. If I may put forward a
slice of personal philosophy, I feel that man has ruled
this world as a stumbling demented child-king long
enough! And as his empire crumbles, my precious Black
Widow shall rise as his most fitting successor!