Allergy

[mary walters]

I am having tests for allergies at the moment, my consultant THINKS it may be my spiders among other things.

What on earth can I be allergic to from SPIDERS??????


One for the boffins here I feel.

[Phil Rea]

I'm anything but a boffin Mary, but there have been reports of contact allergies from spiders, apart from the usual ones simply involving urticating hairs (which by the way are thought to possibly be allergens, rather than just mechanical irritants).

There's an interesting paper by Isbister which contains a report on a 55-year-old male who had been brought to hospital with a generalised rash and hypotension following contact with a what was thought to be a huntsman spider.

Isbister, G.K. (2002) Acute allergic reaction following contact with a spider, Toxicon 40(10), pp. 1495-1497.

[mary walters]

He thinks I have a rare skin disease and it could have come from my spiders, blood tests have been taken and I have to have allergy tests on my back too, my practice nurses are attributing my leg ulcer to the same cause. I hope my spiders are not the cause, it will break my heart if they have to go. Mine is not so much a rash, but big open sores.

Thanks Phil.

[Phil Rea]

He thinks I have a rare skin disease and it could have come from my spiders, blood tests have been taken and I have to have allergy tests on my back too, my practice nurses are attributing my leg ulcer to the same cause. I hope my spiders are not the cause, it will break my heart if they have to go. Mine is not so much a rash, but big open sores.

Thanks Phil.

No worries Mary. From what I can see, it is exceedingly rare, and I don't know if any other studies have been done in the meantime, but I'll certainly have a search around

If it's that rare, it may be worth your doctor trying to get in touch with Dr. Isbister directly (in Australia), as I'd imagine he'd be bang up to date with information. I can either send you the paper, or let you have his e-mail address by PM if it would be any help.

[Stanley A. Schultz]

He thinks I have a rare skin disease and it could have come from my spiders, blood tests have been taken and I have to have allergy tests on my back too, my practice nurses are attributing my leg ulcer to the same cause. I hope my spiders are not the cause, it will break my heart if they have to go. Mine is not so much a rash, but big open sores....

My experience (and I worked over 25 years in a medical school and hospital) is that whenever anyone appears with any sort of unusual condition (and a lot of common ones as well) the very first scape goat is commonly to blame it on a spider bite or allergic reaction of some sort. It would be hilarious if peoples' health weren't at stake.

I would play along with them just to make sure that you really did or didn't have some sort of sensitivity to your spiders, but before I would get rid of my collection I'd insist on hard scientific evidence and an independent, second opinion.

Ulcerations can be caused by too many other things. Insect bites (including but no limited to deerfly (Tabanidae) bites; bed bugs; assassin bugs; ant, wasp and bee stings; and the list goes on and on and on; rose and other plant thorn p r i c k s; allergic sensitivities to a wide variety of plants (e.g., poison ivy and poison sumac though unlikely in Europe, oleander, euphorbia, some cactus thorns, etc.), and a wide variety of infectious bacteria that are common in soil, especially soil contaminated by urine and feces. (This is not to infer that you really live in conditions that would expose you to any of these, I'm just spouting examples.)

The points are that:

There are too many other ulcer causing things THAT THEY EITHER DO NOT OR CANNOT TEST FOR for them to start pointing dirty fingers at your spider collection. Such a declaration is usually due to a predisposition against spiders, and a "quick fix" need to pass the blame onto something else, anything else, so they can get on with their careers rather than a genuine need to solve the problem.

Pointing an accusatory finger at your spiders while there are almost no other similar cases in history is not very good science and immediately brings the credibility of the doctors into question.

Pointing an accusatory finger at your spiders without sound scientific proof of cause also is not very good science and immediately brings the credibility of the doctors into question.

I would be extremely dubious and critical of their conclusions unless they can both unequivocally rule out any other possibility, and show firm scientific proof that you really are sensitive to your spiders.

In the final analysis, doctors are not gods, but rather very much over priced slaves. You still have the right and duty to question them and call them to task.

[mary walters]

Thanks Phil, I have to see him again 8th April and will know at least what blood tests have thrown up.

He did say what he thinks it is but not being british he could have said it was anything.

Stan, thanks love, that makes a lot of sense, but HOW on earth can they test for spider sensitivity??????
This bungalow was absolutely filthy and running with dog and cat wee when we moved in 6 months ago, I don't think the owner did any housework from the day Trev said he was going to buy it. To be honest, the sores have got worse since, even though we are and indeed have, got rid of the filth.
My spiders will not be going anywhere till I have concrete proof that it's them.

Phil, I will tell consultant I can get paper and see what he says.

When I go into spider room, after about 10 minutes in there I can scratch my left leg to pieces, thats the one I have had cellulitis in twice since moving here.

[Mark Pennell]

Mary
Sorry to here about your troubles, I think both Phil and Stan have covered most of it.. as far as spiders are concerned.

Have you been tested for MRSA ? this can be picked up very easy, my Nan got it from going to the hospital for an unrelated visit..

Anyway hope you get sorted soon.

Regards
Mark

[matthew spooner]

Have you been tested for MRSA ?

peculiar infection. i apparently have it in my left nostril lol

[mary walters]

Mark, I have had loads of really painful swabs taken, all they will say is that they are resistant to all but Penicillin, which I am allergic to anyways. I must say the thought has crossed my mind, but the pain........I would rather have another baby.

[Ray Hale]

Hi Mary, soory to hear of your troubles. Given the length of time that you have been in the hobby I would be very surprised if you have suddenly developed an allergy to your spiders. It is more likely that your doctor in an attempt to diagnose your problem is merely trying to eliminate things.

Unfortunatly it is my experience that when in doubt non-spider people tend to assume the worst. ( False widow bites etc etc....)

Chin up girl,

Best wishes

Ray and Ang

[Damien]

He did say what he thinks it is but not being british he could have said it was anything.

I take it that you will be voting B.N.P

[mary walters]

I take it that you will be voting B.N.P

Definately not, it's just he spoke fast, quiet and with a forign accent, not a good combination for me lol.

Thanks ray, I think he is clutching at straws too.

[Damien]

Definately not, it's just he spoke fast, quiet and with a forign accent, not a good combination for me lol.

It looked like a rascist comment but then again you are entitled your own opinions.

[mary walters]

There is no way I am racist, genderist or anything elseist mate. I don't suppose you have thought that I am not a youngster and as we get older bits tend not to work so well!!!!!!

[Lisa Baines]

although allergic reactions are extremely rare from contact with arachnids. if indeed they are actually from an arachnid.. as mentioned they do get blamed by non arachnid lovers!

I have a skin condition called urticaria. recently diagnosed but even the tiny scratches from the 'feet' or our scorpions and tarantula's caused localised swelling and hives, and then the rest of my body followed, it was like taking a bath in sulphuric acid!!!! extremely painful.

Unfortunately I have the particularly bad form whereby chemicals / hormones / pressure & rapid temperature change causes the reaction if i dont take my medication.
dont know about the ulcer but this condition I have is commonly mis-daignosed as just an allergic reaction to, for eg, animals

dont know if this info will be of use to you but there are varying degree's of urticaria and angioedemia (i think i spelled that wrong) the other is where you get internal swelling, mouth tongue throat etc.

So although it is rare for people to be allergic to their tarantula's n scorp's. it is possible to have an underlying problem that might be triggered by them.

lisa x