A friend asked me

galeogirl

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 15, 2002
Messages
1,198
and I didn't know the answer, so I put it to you: Are there any spiders for which an antivenin is regularly produced and, if so, which ones? Also, he was curious about the medical uses of spider venom.

Anyone?
 

mitchell123

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 9, 2007
Messages
156
If you mean anti venom, for mexican spiders and brazilian t's i know there is alot of research of those areas mostly because t's aren't deadly too people only in a case of Anafylactic Shock. i never heard of alot poison research of asian and african t's. Maybe because of lower human population..or whatever :D
 

ShadowBlade

Planeswalker
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Messages
2,591
Yes, for true spiders, black widow venom is being injected into female chickens, and an antivenom is harvested from I believe the embryo's of eggs now. (there's other ways too).

I don't believe there's antivenom for Loxosceles (recluses).

But if you're referring to tarantulas, there is no antivenom. And chances of allergic reactions are like nil.

In Australia they are (or were) doing research as to tarantula venom used in a sleeping medicine. And doesn't require stronger doses over periods of time.

-Sean
 

galeogirl

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 15, 2002
Messages
1,198
I didn't figure that there was a tarantula antivenom, but rather than give a false answer, I figured I'd ask around.

Interesting that there are so many potential uses for spider venom. Not surprising given what they've developed with snake venoms and bufotoxins, still, very interesting stuff.
 

Moltar

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
5,438
I know from the discovery channel that there is an anti-venom for the sydney funnel web spider. That one has a bite thet is often fatal without treatment. It's not a tarantula but i believe it is a theraphosid.
 

Drachenjager

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
3,509
I know from the discovery channel that there is an anti-venom for the sydney funnel web spider. That one has a bite thet is often fatal without treatment. It's not a tarantula but i believe it is a theraphosid.
theraphosids are tarantulas arent they?
they are myglamorphs tho i think ...not well read on them.
 

KaineSoulblade

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
177
I know from the discovery channel that there is an anti-venom for the sydney funnel web spider. That one has a bite thet is often fatal without treatment.
It is not 'often' fatal. It's rarely fatal. It has killed 13 people ever. Considering how often there are bites that is a very minor ammount. I got to see a few of these guys when I was in Australlia. Very cool, and they do look a lot like T's though they are not.

here is some info on them;

"Funnel-webs are probably one of the three most dangerous spiders in the world and are regarded by some to be the most dangerous.

Examination of bite records seems to indicate that wandering males have caused a large majority of fatal bites to humans. Males, recognised by the modified terminal segment of the palp, are aggressive and tend to wander during the warmer months of the year looking for receptive females of their kind for mating. They are attracted to water and hence are often found in swimming pools where they have fallen while wandering. They also show up in garages and yards in suburban Sydney.

While some very venomous spiders may give dry bites, these spiders do so much less frequently. (For a comparison of the toxicity and amounts injected of various spider venoms, see spiders having medically-significant venom.) It appears that approximately 10% to 25% of bites will produce toxicity but the likelihood cannot be predicted and all should be treated as potentially life-threatening.

There have been 26 recorded deaths in Australia in the last 100 years from spider bites. Bites from funnel web spiders have caused 13 deaths (seven in children). In all cases where the sex of the biting spider could be determined, it was found to be the male of the species. Most victims were young, ill or infirm. Members of the genus Hadronyche may also cause fatal envenomations although none have been recorded. Assays of venom from several Hadronyche species have shown it to be similar to Atrax venom."
 

Drachenjager

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
3,509
It is not 'often' fatal. It's rarely fatal. It has killed 13 people ever. Considering how often there are bites that is a very minor ammount. I got to see a few of these guys when I was in Australlia. Very cool, and they do look a lot like T's though they are not.

here is some info on them;

"Funnel-webs are probably one of the three most dangerous spiders in the world and are regarded by some to be the most dangerous.

Examination of bite records seems to indicate that wandering males have caused a large majority of fatal bites to humans. Males, recognised by the modified terminal segment of the palp, are aggressive and tend to wander during the warmer months of the year looking for receptive females of their kind for mating. They are attracted to water and hence are often found in swimming pools where they have fallen while wandering. They also show up in garages and yards in suburban Sydney.

While some very venomous spiders may give dry bites, these spiders do so much less frequently. (For a comparison of the toxicity and amounts injected of various spider venoms, see spiders having medically-significant venom.) It appears that approximately 10% to 25% of bites will produce toxicity but the likelihood cannot be predicted and all should be treated as potentially life-threatening.

There have been 26 recorded deaths in Australia in the last 100 years from spider bites. Bites from funnel web spiders have caused 13 deaths (seven in children). In all cases where the sex of the biting spider could be determined, it was found to be the male of the species. Most victims were young, ill or infirm. Members of the genus Hadronyche may also cause fatal envenomations although none have been recorded. Assays of venom from several Hadronyche species have shown it to be similar to Atrax venom."
yeah they are not as bad as they are reported...but you know what really seems funny about that article? It says "Examination of bite records seems to indicate that wandering males have caused a large majority of fatal bites to humans." and then states taht only 13 people have been killed by any sidney funnel web. I was just wondering how many they think is a "large majority" lol
i would think you need a large number before you can have a large majority lol
i know i know anything over 51% is a majority so if you had 90% it would technically be a large majority but still 90% of 13 is only 11.7 lol
 

KaineSoulblade

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
177
yeah they are not as bad as they are reported...but you know what really seems funny about that article? It says "Examination of bite records seems to indicate that wandering males have caused a large majority of fatal bites to humans." and then states taht only 13 people have been killed by any sidney funnel web. I was just wondering how many they think is a "large majority" lol
i would think you need a large number before you can have a large majority lol
i know i know anything over 51% is a majority so if you had 90% it would technically be a large majority but still 90% of 13 is only 11.7 lol
A majority meaning 13 of the 26 deaths caused by spiders I think. Take half of all deaths caused by all spiders and attribute it to one single species. So it has a much larger piece of the pie than any of the others, I'm assuming the red-back is among those.
 

Drachenjager

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
3,509
A majority meaning 13 of the 26 deaths caused by spiders I think. Take half of all deaths caused by all spiders and attribute it to one single species. So it has a much larger piece of the pie than any of the others, I'm assuming the red-back is among those.
i know but large being used for such small numbers seems odd .... its like hearing a guy at a microscope say WOW thats a huge paramecium ...
 

KaineSoulblade

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
177
i know but large being used for such small numbers seems odd .... its like hearing a guy at a microscope say WOW thats a huge paramecium ...
Yeah it does sound funny. That was just my speculation. Some articles are definately more well written than others, to say the least.
 

Drachenjager

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 23, 2006
Messages
3,509
Yeah it does sound funny. That was just my speculation. Some articles are definately more well written than others, to say the least.
oh it was fine , but ignorant people like me are easy to amuse lol


by the way, you didnt accuse me of being ignorant and that was not pointed at you lol
 

Annie3Ponies

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
200
Well, the black widow spider antivenom you can get in a hospital is made in horses (by me). The kind made in chickens is a laboratory reagent used in neuroscience research.

There is a company in Australia that makes red back spider antivenom also in horses, for human use.

Its not very easy, the stuff is not very immunogenic.
 
Top