According to the Mayo Clinic, the majority of spider bites are not dangerous to humans. Brown recluse spiders, one of the few dangerous, common spiders in the United States, reside in the Southern states. While brown recluse spider bites often produce serious results, these bites rarely kill.
Initial Wound
Within the first 10 minutes of a brown recluse bite, some pain or burning, accompanied by itching, often appears. As described by the California Poison Control System in 2008, the wound takes on a bull's-eye appearance with a center blister enveloped by an "angry-looking red ring" and then a "blanched white ring."
Ulcer
Within the first eight hours, the center blister eventually breaks open, leaving an ulcer that scabs over. The ulcer may enlarge and affect underlying skin and muscle tissue. Severe pain and itchiness occur. Within the first 24 to 48 hours, a red, itchy rash usually develops.
Other Common Symptoms
Reactions to brown recluse bites, and spider bites in general, vary from person to person. Some may only experience mild nausea while in rare cases with children, death results. In addition to mild nausea and red rash, more common reactions include fever, listlesness, chills, vomiting, muscle aches and hemolytic anemia---a condition where red blood cells are destroyed.
Infected Wounds
If the wound is deep and becomes infected, additional complications may result. Occasionally surgery is necessary in these cases. While seeking physician contact is recommended for any brown recluse bite, if a child is bitten or a wound appears infected, immediate medical attention is required. Anytime that a bite or wound is not healing or getting worse, both the Mayo Clinic and California Poison Control System recommend consulting with a doctor promptly.
