Spiders do not transmit bacterial diseases
The bite of a spider is sometimes suspected of being the cause of bacterial infections. Yet a recent study shows that cases remain minimal. This misleading diagnosis unjustly incriminate the innocent little creatures.
Mosquitoes and ticks transmit diseases. But what about spiders? As bacteria are present on the hooks or mouthparts of these animals, we can imagine that the bite of a spider can transmit disease. Sometimes doctors and patients attribute to spiders cause of bacterial infections. The researchers wanted to know if proven cases of transmission of infections by spiders were many.
For this, a team of scientists led by an entomologist at the University of California, Richard Vetter, conducted a literature review on the topic. They extracted data from publications spider envenomation, that is to say, the disease caused by the entry of the venom into the body. The results of the study appear in the journal Toxicon.
According to this article, evidence of infection who had spiders to vectors are lean, explains Richard Vetter, the lead author, "In reviewing reports of thousands of bites of many species spiders in the world, we have found almost no mention of infection associated with an injury inflicted by an arachnid. "
Spiders are not vectors of bacterial infections
An exception seems to confirm this rule. Of all the articles analyzed, the authors identified a credible case a spider bite could indeed lead to an infection. This episode involved a large spider from Australia who weaves a golden web and bacteria rarely found in humans. "The bite led to a full lesion pus which persisted for more than two months. »
Nevertheless, Richard Vetter concludes: "Although the spider bite can be a causative agent of bacterial infection attractive and plausible, the data show that it is highly unlikely." So it was by mistake that doctors and patients incriminate spider bites. For example, in a study of 182 Southern California patients who complained of spider bites, less than 4% underwent poisoning caused by a spider. In contrast, 86% of them had a skin infection. The real issue is therefore quite different. Spiders are actually scapegoats ...
Consequence of these misdiagnoses: patients may develop arachnophobia unjustified and excessive use of pesticides in their homes ...
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