Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

White-tailed spider bites--arachnophobic fallout?

Jonathan Banks1, Phil Sirvid, Cor Vink

  • 1Clinical Pharmacology, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand. jbanks@life.uiuc.edu

The New Zealand Medical Journal
|March 6, 2004
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Associations Between FTO rs9939609 Genotype, Physical Activity, and Dietary Behaviors in Young Adults.

Nutrients·2026
Same author

Malignant upper urinary tract obstruction resulting in hospital admission: a qualitative study of patient, carer and clinician experiences and information received.

BMJ open·2026
Same author

Beyond Sex Differences: Body Composition and Dietary Behaviors.

Muscles (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Exploring risk factors for COVID-19 mortality and infection in care homes in the west of England: A mixed-methods study.

Journal of health services research & policy·2025
Same author

Amitriptyline for the prevention of post herpetic neuralgia: study protocol for the ATHENA study.

Skin health and disease·2025
Same author

Development of the First Patient-Reported Experience Measure (PREM) for Hearing Loss in Audiology Care-My Hearing PREM.

Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy·2024

Public concern over white-tailed spider bites is likely unwarranted. A Christchurch Hospital study found no evidence of necrotising arachnidism in patients diagnosed with spider bites, suggesting alternative causes.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Entomology
  • Toxicology
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Public anxiety exists regarding the potential toxic effects of white-tailed spider bites (Lampona cylindrata and L. murina).
  • Necrotising arachnidism is a feared outcome associated with certain spider envenomations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if clinical case histories of patients admitted to Christchurch Hospital reflect public concerns about white-tailed spider bite toxicity.
  • To investigate the incidence of necrotising arachnidism following suspected white-tailed spider bites.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of patient case histories at Christchurch Hospital.
  • Inclusion criteria: diagnosis of 'contact with venomous spiders' between January 2001 and January 2003.
  • Examination for evidence of necrotising arachnidism and treatment of sequelae.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Ten patients were admitted with a diagnosis of 'contact with venomous spiders'.
  • No cases of necrotising arachnidism were identified.
  • No patients required re-admission for spider bite-related complications; causality was often uncertain.

Conclusions:

  • The widespread fear of severe outcomes from white-tailed spider bites appears disproportionate to clinical evidence.
  • Alternative diagnoses should be considered, especially when the spider is not definitively identified as the causative agent.
  • Further investigation into the actual clinical significance of white-tailed spider bites is warranted.