The brown recluse spider is one of only a few spiders that can bite. Most species of spiders are poisonous, Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania states, but don't have fangs long enough to inject poison into skin. The brown recluse is sometimes called the violin or fiddleback spider, because of the violin shaped mark on its back. The brown recluse prefers warm, dark spaces, and is found mostly in warm climates. The brown recluse hasn't been known to cause any deaths in the United States, but can cause serious reactions.
Initial Skin Effects
The initial bite of the brown recluse may not even be felt, or may be just a slight sting. Within 3 to 8 hours, pain, burning, stinging or tenderness at the bite site develop, along with swelling. Initial symptoms sometimes don't occur for several days. A white blister may appear at the bite site, with a reddened, swollen area around it.
Systemic Effects
The brown recluse bite can cause a systemic reaction, with fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, restlessness, overall itching and rash. Headache and body aches may also occur. Kidney and liver damage can occur in rare cases, according to the University of Minnesota.
Later Skin Effects
The skin at the bite site may sink and turn black; the skin around the bite may be purple or blue, with a white circle around it and a reddened area around the white. The coloration of the bite is sometimes called the "red, white and blue sign," Ohio State University reports. The skin around the area may be hard to the touch. The tissue at the site may become necrotic, which means tissue death; skin may slough off or need to be surgically removed, or debrided. Debridement is not used as frequently as it used to be, since it appears to slow healing. The wound at the bite site can become as large as a hand. The wound can take several months to heal, and may leave a scar.
