Spider bite in Sri Lanka: two case reports of envenomation by two tarantula species

Abstract

Spiders belong to the class Arachnida in the phylum Arthropoda. Although the bite of the spider is feared as much as that of venomous snakes in Sri Lanka, spider bite related deaths are not reported in this country. A 43-year-old patient presented with local swelling, pain, bleeding from puncture site and muscle cramps after a Poecilotheria subfusca (Ivory-billed ornamental or montane tiger spider) bite; and a 45-year-old patient presented with numbness, burning pain and muscle cramps after a Poecilotheria fasciata (Ceylon Hunting Spider/Ornamental Tarantula) bite. Both patients recovered completely without residual effects.

Keywords

• poecilotheria subfusca
• poecilotheria fasciata
• serotonin
• histamine