Spider bitten patient may lose his leg

[Adeeos]

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

They made mention of an American spider,,, and also of them getting here through wildlife trade,,, but CAN'T imagine ANYONE trading in spiders, OTHER than taranchelas

[canuckamuck]

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.

Thank you for that helpful information, I think I will pick some up.

[whaleboneman]

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.

see link

https://www.google.ca/search?q=brown+black+widow&client=firefox-a&hs=0sM&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=u-LJU_n0CI3eoATnnIKoBQ&ved=0CCoQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=706

[AleG]

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.

Thank you for that helpful information, I think I will pick some up.

It's not helpful information, it's by and large woo. The man on this article is at risk of losing a leg precisely because of home made cures like that.

For example: "hangovers are usually caused by the chemical toxins put into beverages, and are not usually the result of alcohol consumption" Boo! Chemicals!

Hangovers are caused by dehydration and byproducts of the metabolism of alcohol, drink 100% pure ethanol without any other chemicals and you'll still get a hangover.

By the way, activated carbon is also a chemical.

If anyone things they can get better from a venomous bite by eating activated carbon they are in for a bad day.

Edited July 19, 2014 by AleG

[Chicog]

Strange isn't it, they throw antibiotics around in Thailand like they are sweets, but when someone actually needs some they end up with herbs.

[Emster23]

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...

You need to read the article a bit closer: "the resulting infection stems from relatives not cleaning the wound and treating it with herbs." Unless relatives happen to be doctors... I was nailed by brown recluse in Oregon. Not pleasant.

[worgeordie]

It was not the spider bite that could result in the man loosing his leg,

but because he did not clean it,most likely scratching it which resulted

in blood poisoning, they same thing happened to Lord Carnarvon of

Tutankhamen fame, who nicked a mosquito bite on his face while

shaving ,resulting in blood poisoning then pneumonia from which

he died.

regards Worgeordie

[Skywalker69]

nasty creatures around

watch out for those centepedes

This is a bite from a centerpede.

[Oziex1]

I know a few people in Australia who have been bitten by the Red Back spider aka the Black Widow and Centipedes, both caused pain irritation and swelling for a few days. no infection the doctors as a matter of routine give Tetanus shots. I also know people who have been bitten by Centipedes here in Thailand and the ensuing infection took days to control with amputation a real threat. Seems here in the tropics there is a real risk of major infections from small bites and scratches.

[Leo123]

Bangkok Post report the bite was from an North American Brown Recluse Spider.

Seems like a nasty bugger.

1st recorded case in the country.

[Oziex1]

Bangkok Post report the bite was from an North American Brown Recluse Spider.

Seems like a nasty bugger.

1st recorded case in the country.

Blame it on the Farrang again.

[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.

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.

Funny thing was that both times the doctors couldn't say what it was that bit me. The guess was either a small spider, ant or bed bug. As long as my kids or wife don't get bitten I'm okay to be the only one ever so often. I've never had a condition like this before in my whole life. Not until living in Thailand. Never overlook bites, no matter how small.

[NoshowJones]

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.

Little 'cute' spiders???????????

[Zeegator]

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.

"This is going to be a case of secondary infection."

Exactly what the report stated.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Zeegator

[Zeegator]

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.

That's a "Thai health worker"? You sure it's not a visitor? He doesn't appear to be dressed like a doctor or nurse in a hospital.

[Zeegator]

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...

And that, sums up your knowledge of Thai doctors in general. Zero.

[antsrule]

The spider with a violin shape on its body is called "The Brown Recluse". A black widow spider has a distinctive red hourglass on it's body.

[kinmaew]

"all likelihood made its way into the country through the wildlife trade"

Corruption has again ruined another life.

[watcharacters]

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

.

Quoting the above article:

"Bite[edit]

Due to the presence of latrotoxin in their venom, black widow bites are potentially dangerous and may result in systemic effects (latrodectism) including severe muscle pain, abdominal cramps, hyperhidrosis, tachycardia, and muscle spasms.^[12] Symptoms usually last for 3–7 days, but may persist for several weeks.^[13]Contrary to popular belief, most people who are bitten suffer no serious damage, let alone death. But bites can be fatal, usually to small children, the elderly, or the infirm.^[14]

Outpatient care following discharge often consists of a weak-to-moderate strength opioid (e.g. codeine or tramadol, respectively) depending on pain scores, an anti-inflammatory agent (e.g. naproxen, cortisone), and an antispasmodic (e.g. cyclobenzaprine, diazepam) for a few days to a week. If the pain and/or spasms have not resolved by this time, a second medical evaluation is generally advised, and other diagnoses may be considered."

Fatalities are not common at all from a black widow bite but do watch out for bite of the tiny brown recluse spider.

[thaibeachlovers]

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.

How do you know he's a health worker? Looks like an ordinary T shirt to me. When my wife was in hospital, all the "health workers" ( not Drs ) were female and wore uniforms.

[thaibeachlovers]

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.

Why would you use antibiotics for a poisoning? Even if you had asked a pharmacist, they would probably have given you the correct meds.

Anyway, good that you did eventually seek proper help.

[FangFerang]

I met a man with serious tissue damage in a eight centimeter circle around a spider bite. The destruction of the tissue suggests it was venom similar to that of what is called a brown recluse in the west -- he lost a patch of flesh about the size of a golfball. Ironically, he had trekked the jungles but was bitten in Bangkok. My brother in law, he was alive, had a very similar wound that never healed.

I believe the one that bit the man I met here was a native spider. He saw the little beasitie and it had markings that were distinctly not a brown recluse, including a red, irregular stripe that ran down the back of its hairy brown body.

In general, if I see a spider that is not a daddy long-legs, I kill it.

[Sakeopete]

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,,

He is probably meaning the Brown Widow, I have seen many at my in-laws home in Sakeao province. I used to keep the Northern Black Widow as a pet when I was a child as it was common in Southern Alberta. TBH I was quite surprised to see the Brown Widows. Like the Northern Black Widow they tend to be small it is very unlikely that their fangs could even penetrate deep enough into a human to deliver the tiny amount of venom.

The southern Black Widow is another story they are much larger and have bitten many people, a nuisance in the southern USA.

[belg]

lets cut of his leg, just to be sure... both bites would normally not be deadly in the first place

[Artisi]

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.

Thank you for that helpful information, I think I will pick some up.

It's not helpful information, it's by and large woo. The man on this article is at risk of losing a leg precisely because of home made cures like that.

For example: "hangovers are usually caused by the chemical toxins put into beverages, and are not usually the result of alcohol consumption" Boo! Chemicals!

Hangovers are caused by dehydration and byproducts of the metabolism of alcohol, drink 100% pure ethanol without any other chemicals and you'll still get a hangover.

By the way, activated carbon is also a chemical.

If anyone things they can get better from a venomous bite by eating activated carbon they are in for a bad day.

You are pretty well on the mark, activated charcoal is good for diarrhoea and can be useful to counter act many things ingested, as for spider / snake bites - hokus pokus.

[zydeco]

Bangkok Post report the bite was from an North American Brown Recluse Spider.

Seems like a nasty bugger.

1st recorded case in the country.

If true, this is very bad news for Thailand. It's one of the things I was relieved not to need to worry about from back home. These spiders usually find their way into bed sheets or clothes put in hampers and bite you that way. I always used to shake out my bed everyday back in Texas to be sure nothing was there. Hope they don't adapt to a tropical habitat well.

[nputman]

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

Could be, with air travel one or more could hitchhike in luggage or in a airplanes structure.

nasty nasty critters they are.

[Lingba]

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.

Yeah..and maybe the infection came from the hospital

[LifeOverHere]

Now this is probably my worst nightmare. I absolutely hate spiders. Brrr, I'm getting goosebumps just thinking of them.

[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.

Why would you use antibiotics for a poisoning? Even if you had asked a pharmacist, they would probably have given you the correct meds.

Anyway, good that you did eventually seek proper help.

I thought it was just an infected wound. But when the symptoms became similar to my first instance I knew otherwise. Definitely from now on it's straight to the doctor.