urticating hairs cause a fever?

[Galapoheros]

I've got a couple of A. geniculata Ts. I've been getting fevers, today, 102, ruined my day, sometimes twice a month, but the last time was in January so I went several months with no fever. It feels just like I'm getting the flu, the next day I feel great. I made the mistake of going to the doc months ago when I didn't have a fever "...nothing wrong with you, get outa here hypo!". Trachea is a little sore but practically OK feeling. I was wondering if anybody has experienced fevers from genic hairs(?), sounds kind of weird I know, I just can't figure it out.

 

[D3N2]

It could be an allergic response?

 

[captmarga]

So many friends have had issues this year, I would not chalk it up instantly to the Ts. It could be an allergy to them, but just as likely that it's mold, pollen, or something else you are being exposed to. MOST allergies do not come with a fever, but we are finding mold exposure can cause it.

Were you actually haired? If not, it would be unusual in my experience to have a reaction. What type of sub are they on? What other factors might have changed at this time? (Including co-workers, new hygiene products, etc).

Good luck!

Marga

 

[OphidianDelight]

My wife is in the medical profession (and I'm working on getting in)--if you've experienced increased malaise between January and now and are still on the younger end of life (teens - twenties) it could be more likely that you have a case of undiagnosed mono. If the doctors wrote you off as a hypochondriac they may not have done any bloodwork for you--a CBC and a mono spot test can confirm this if you ask the doctor the next time you experience symptoms. Personally I am doubtful that your woes are due to the spiders. Here's hoping you feel better!

 

[Bill S]

Fevers are a response to infections, not allergies. Whatever you're dealing with, you can't blame it on the tarantulas.

 

[jbalboa1981]

Other things besides infection can cause a fever, even a really bad sunburn, or certain meds. Never heard of urticating hairs causing one though.

 

[Bill S]

When you get a fever from a bad sunburn it's because the body is reacting to the damaged tissue as if it were an infection. I suppose you could get a similar reaction to tissue damage from urticating hairs - but you'd definitely notice the tissue damage and irritation/inflamation first, and that does not seem to be the case in the OP's post. (And yes, meds can cause all sorts of body reactions, so I'll amend my comment to say that fevers are the NATURAL response to infections.)

 

[Galapoheros]

OK thanks, I've been doubting the spider idea myself. It's that I've been getting them off and on for a couple of years, mostly last year and have been very curious to what was causing it, I was kind of desperate last year. But I hadn't had one in 8 months. This time it turned out diff, I think it was a respiratory virus, didn't turn out to be a bad case, it went to my sinuses a little, still feeling it so it's hanging on a little. No my doctor didn't literally call me a hypochondriac but I got that feeling leaving the office. I don't blame him, GPs probably deal with that all the time, I went in with no symptoms, I had the fever the day before. I'm not on the young side, I'm 48. One of my parents is a retired doc, emailed and said it could be anything that causes inflammation, even an allergy in not so common cases so, oh well, I thought that old problem was kicking in again but looks like it was just a virus.