Loxosceles rufescens, Loxoscelism, fatality and amputations

[Chris LXXIX]

I was just reading the news and seems that a man living in Cagliari, Sardegna region/island, just died of (we need to say 'probably') Loxoscelism due to a bite occurred three months ago.

It's the second fatality in Italy after the amputation of the finger of a man here where I live, due to that (I can 100% confirm that the spider in this case was a L.rufescens)

Anyway, not the most original thread, I know, but thought could be interesting, no matter.

First case below (and here the link is in English, btw) happened in Catanzaro, Calabria region:

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/criem/2016/7640789/

The one of today:

http://www.corriere.it/cronache/17_...no-45cc111c-90c9-11e7-8eb0-0c961f9191ec.shtml

http://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/top...esi_ae66aa39-fb6e-4055-afee-64dd015889d1.html

http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/cronache/muore-tre-mesi-essere-stato-punto-ragno-violino-1437126.html

And here the one happened in Pavia, Lombardy region, years ago, where a man lost his finger (Docs were forced to amputate) not so much after a bite:

http://laprovinciapavese.gelocal.it...cato-dal-ragno-gli-amputano-un-dito-1.7638771

I think that probably (I'm 100% certain in the 'finger' case) someone underestimated a bit the bite at the beginning, sadly happens. Another was an elder obese Lady so probably entered other factors, anyway.

--

If needed, I can translate but not now, I have to go.

 

[The Snark]

@Chris LXXIX How common are those spiders in that area and how aware are people of the potential hazards?

We had a death here from a positively identified Loxosceles, apparently a displaced transient. The spider caught and positively identified.
The bite was given scant attention until the necrosis went systemic. The reason for ignoring was we don't have dangerous spiders here, or didn't, and the farmers tend to be very stoic and usually use traditional herbal treatment remedies. A rare perfect storm scenario.

 

[USMuscle9403]

Interesting. I know the data may be hard to find, but are you aware of approximately how many envenomations happen in Italy from this species? How common are they? Do they have frequent and close contact with humans? It'd be interesting to compare to what we have here in the states with reclusa, even though the info we have is equally hard to come by. I wonder if they're more toxic to humans than reclusa?

This is especially interesting because rufescens is starting to pop up here in the US, notably Louisiana. I haven't heard of any bites attributed to them, but most would have a hard time telling the difference going by looks alone. Still, this would be pretty important info to know.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

@The Snark @USMuscle9403

They are endemic in the whole Italy since forever as far as I know. It's amazing how hardy they are, on that sense, because you can found those here in the North, in the more colder Regions of Italy, as well for the hot (kinda North Africa weather) Southern ones.

Unfortunately, seems that we doesn't have detailed and specific stats about this spider, the bites etc but I think this is due to the fact that the spider (despite the random Loxoscelism effect that can occur after a bite) isn't defensive and reclusive so no one bothered researching that.

The term 'reclusive' suits, here in Italy, pretty well this spider because I remember what the grandfather of one of my friends (they are into 'move/relocate' business) once said to me/us during work (I've helped him a couple of times with 'big' moving).

We were putting stuff in a cellar, I've spotted in a corner, near a hole in bricks, a spider. I was able to I.D the bugger as a L.rufescens but before saying that, his grandfather told me (in pure Southern Italian dialect, ah ah) "... that's a reclusa, they're dangerous".

Now the thing is that old man isn't absolutely into arachnids at all, yet he said that in no time... I think 'legends' of the past, of the countryside 'wise'.

Another odd thing is that, lately, seems there more bites and, of course, like sadly happens, now 9 out of 10 people freaks out when spotting a spider thinking said spider is the "ragno violino" (violin spider).

 

[RTTB]

Very informative and interesting post.