In the last few days the case of Joseph Russoa young man from Salento 23 years old died at the Policlinico of Bari due to septic shock and multiorgan failure about a month after a presumed bite Of spider violin has unleashed a wave of fear And alarmism on the dangerousness of this spider. However, it is essential to clarify that the poison of this spider it’s not deadly (even though the violin spider is among the most poisonous in Italy) and There are no recorded cases of direct death for venom of the violin spider. In any case, an autopsy will be performed on the body of the 23-year-old to try to understand in detail the causes of death.
Russo’s death, for example, although possibly attributable to a bite from a brown recluse spider, it is not directly attributable to its poison (which is not fatal in itself) but to complications that occurred later. As also specified by the Poison Control Center of the Gemelli Polyclinic, in fact, the boy’s death was caused by a septic shock with abscess and from a serious infectionnot directly from the spider’s venom. This case, like others in the past, has raised concerns unfounded and helped spread the myth of a danger lethal associated with this arachnid, also because violin spiders have always been widespread in Italy but it is only in the last few years that they have been talked about in an alarmist way due to some isolated episodes.
This does not mean that the bite of the violin spider should be underestimated, perhaps because it is mistaken for a spider bite. mosquito (as the 23 year old boy apparently did). In this case, in fact, it can happen that the bite leads to infectionsThis is because the spider could transfer, in addition to the venom, also anaerobic bacteriawhich in turn can precisely infect the wound area with possible complications as well serious.
The important thing, therefore, in case of a bite, is to wash the wound well with waterfall And soap and disinfect the area to minimize the risk of infection. It is not needed go directly to the hospital or emergency room, but it is a good idea to monitor the bite, contact the Poison Control Center and your GP.
The protocol recommended by the Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Surgery and Anesthesia at the Cardarelli Hospital in Naples involves thoroughly washing the affected area with plenty of water and applying a disinfectant room containing hypochlorite Of sodium at the 0.05%The use of disinfectants based on ammonium or water oxygenated.
