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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
Extraction of Venom and Venom Gland Microdissections from Spiders for Proteomic and Transcriptomic Analyses
Published on: November 3, 2014
Prospective cohort study of definite spider bites in Australian children
1Clinical Envenoming Research Group, University of Newcastle, and Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. gsbite@ferntree.com
Insights
Pediatric spider bites typically cause minor effects, with most symptoms resolving within hours. These bites are unlikely to lead to severe complications like necrotic ulcers or infections in children.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Paediatric Medicine
- Dermatology
Background:
- Spider bites are common in children, but their clinical effects are not well-characterized.
- Understanding paediatric spider bite epidemiology is crucial for appropriate clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the clinical outcomes of spider bites in children.
- To compare these effects with those observed in adult spider bite cases.
Main Methods:
- A prospective follow-up study involving children with confirmed spider bites.
- Spiders were identified by experts, and data on bite circumstances and effects were collected.
- Comparison with existing data on adult spider bites.
Main Results:
- 163 paediatric cases were analyzed, with Huntsman and Orb weaver spiders being most common.
- All children experienced pain, severe in 20%; local effects like redness were frequent.
- Systemic effects occurred in only 6%, with no necrotic lesions, ulcers, allergic reactions, or infections.
Conclusions:
- Paediatric spider bites generally result in minor clinical effects.
- Necrotic ulcers, allergic reactions, and infections are rare consequences of spider bites in children.
- The severity and duration of effects in children differ from those in adults.
Objectives:
To describe the clinical effects of spider bites in a paediatric population and compare to bites in an adult population.
Methods:
Prospective follow up study of children with definite spider bites where the spiders were immediately collected and expertly identified. Cases were recruited from Australian emergency departments and poison information centres and followed up. Data were collected on circumstances of bites and clinical effects, and compared with similar data from adult spider bites.
Results:
There were 163 cases (62% male, 38% female; age <16, median age 7 years, interquartile range (IQR): 3-11 years). The median duration of effects was 2 h (IQR 0.25-12 h). The commonest spiders were Huntsman spiders (Sparassidae) and Orb weavers (Araneidae), and comparatively few bites by theridiid spiders, including Red-back spiders. Pain or discomfort occurred in all bites and was severe in 20%. Local effects included puncture marks/bleeding (36%) and red mark/redness (73%). Systemic effects occurred in only 6% of cases. There were no necrotic lesions or ulcers as a consequence of any spider bites (0%; 97.5% CI 0.0-2.2%) and no early allergic reactions or secondary infections. The median duration of clinical effects was shorter than adults, the frequency of severe pain was less than adults and systemic effects were less common in children.
Conclusions:
Paediatric spider bite causes minor effects in the majority of cases, and is unlikely to cause necrotic ulcers, allergic reactions or infection. The severity and duration of effects differ from adults.
