Could a potent venom OW bite be fatal to an infant?

Abyss

Arachnoknight
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@Matabuey : Yes, I've read your thread - great thread, btw - and all the articles you mentioned and a few more. I think that's what I've stated twice now and so I'll state it again: Anaphylaxis following a tarantula bite is highly unlikely, but not impossible. Btw, size isn't all that determines immunogenicity, so not all large proteins are potent immunogens - just a side note. It's rather difficult to induce an immune reaction when you want one, i.e. against cancer proteins, which would be close to my area of expertise.
I wouldn't exactly compare T venom to a peanut when it comes to immunogenic potential, though...

A more important point, and a point you mentioned too, is something people tend to overlook: You need to be bitten AT LEAST TWICE for an anaphylactic shock to develope. The immunosystem needs to be primed to overreact like that.

Considering everything we know, for me it makes no sense at all to be scared of an anaphylactic reaction following a tarantula bite.
Agreed fully. I wasnt sayin the infant would have that type of reaction just speculation that its feasible the bite coupd be fatal.
As for the peanut lol, i was only making the point that all sorts of things, venomous or not can cause an anaphylactic reaction IF allergic :)
 

Andrea82

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Goodmorning all ;).
Well, I'm scratching my head now....how can tarantula venom cause anaphylaxis if the components that cause it are absent?
 

boina

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Goodmorning all ;).
Well, I'm scratching my head now....how can tarantula venom cause anaphylaxis if the components that cause it are absent?
Goodmorning, too :) (Who get's up at 7.28 AM??)

The thing is it's not as black and white as that. The components are very weak immunogens, so they shouldn't induce an immunological response, but in a human body almost anything is possible. It's just not probable.
 

Andrea82

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Goodmorning, too :) (Who get's up at 7.28 AM??)

The thing is it's not as black and white as that. The components are very weak immunogens, so they shouldn't induce an immunological response, but in a human body almost anything is possible. It's just not probable.
My daughter goes to a specialised school, and a bus comes to pick her up at 8AM. But she needs time to wake up and have breakfast so the alarm goes off at 6:30 AM. ;)

Thanks for clearing that up.
I guess it is one of those questions that has to be answered with 'yes, but it is highly unlikely'.
I'm always weary of that answer because it can create the fear that the venom IS deadly, even though it is highly unlikely.
 

AphonopelmaTX

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I'm reading that anaphylaxis is the only thing considered to make tarantula venom deadly to an infant. Is it not possible that it could be especially dangerous to infants and the elderly by way of paralysis to the muscles responsible for breathing, the heart, or something else? It's a serious question. I don't know anything about toxicology.

I'm also reading that only tarantula species from the old world known to have an exceptionally strong venom are considered which is very vague. I wouldn't necessarily assume that all tarantulas from the Americas have "easy going" venom and just the same I wouldn't assume only tarantulas from the old world have exceptionally potent venom. Bites from tarantulas that include envenomation are so rare in the scientific literature, that I would think it would be dangerous to make any assumptions whatsoever and just keep infants away from all tarantulas.
 
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