Black widow spider and brown recluse spider bites in Texas from 1998 through 2002

Black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders are of medical importance to humans in the US. However, these spiders differ in their habits, habitat, and the clinical effects and treatment of their bite. This study used data from human exposure calls to poison centers in Texas to compare the epidemioloy of bites from these 2 spiders. During 1998-2002, 760 black widow spider bites and 1,369 brown recluse spider bites were reported. Black widow spider bite penetrance demonstrated no secular trend during this time period while the penetrance of brown recluse spider bites increased. A higher percentage of black widow spider bites occurred among males, while a higher proportion of brown recluse spider bites were reported for females. Black widow spider bites most frequently had mild outcomes while brown recluse spider bites most often had moderate outcomes. The majority of reported bites for both types of spider occurred at the patient's own residence, although the percentage was lower for black widow spiders. Seasonal trends were noted for both black widow and brown recluse spiders. The highest penetrance of black widow spider bites was observed in western Texas while the highest penetrance of brown recluse spider bites was observed in central Texas. This information is useful for identifying those populations at greatest risk for the respective spider bites.