Venomous spiders of Albania –does an increase of temperature influence the toxicity of spider venom?

Abstract

Black widow spiders (Latrodectus sp.) are distributed worldwide, and in Albania the L. tredecimguttatus Rossi, 1790 has been the dominant spider. Other medically important spiders in Albania include the brown recluse with symptoms known as loxoscelism, the false black widow and the egg sac spiders; the last two inducing similar symptoms to a wasp sting. Methods: The data analyzed is from a decade-long study of 125 patients hospitalized in the regional hospital of Fier County, in the Western Lowland of Albania from May 2009 and to October 2018. Objective: Although the venom is rarely fatal, the recent spider bites raise questions about the influence of higher air temperatures on their possibly increased toxicity. Results: Significantly the severity of the α-latrotoxin rises during the summer, when human–spider contact frequency is higher and when the black widow spiders have an increased motivation to protect their egg sacs. Conclusion: This study revealed an increased severity of the black widow bites with respect to patient health, shown via all the severe systemic symptoms, during those months with higher temperatures.

Keywords

• Latrodectus
• Loxosceles
• Venom toxicity
• Summer
• Temperature
• Balkans