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Spiders are among the many venomous creatures found in Australia, and while their bites can be deadly, deaths from spider bites are rare. In fact, according to some sources, there have been no confirmed deaths from spider bites in Australia in over 40 years, with effective antivenoms available for the most dangerous species. However, thousands of people are hospitalized due to venomous bites and stings each year, and in 2017-18, 19 people died from venomous bites and stings in Australia, although it is unclear how many of these were specifically from spider bites.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of deaths in Australia from spider bites since 1979 | Zero |
| Number of deaths in Australia from male Sydney Funnel Web spider bites | 13 |
| Number of people bitten by funnel-web spiders each year | 30-40 |
| Number of people bitten by Redback spiders each year | 2,000 |
| Number of people hospitalised due to venomous bites and stings in 2017-18 | 3,500 |
| Number of deaths in Australia due to venomous bites and stings in 2017-18 | 19 |
| Number of deaths in Australia due to spider bites in 2017-18 | 0 |
| Year of the last recorded death from a Redback spider bite | 1955 |
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What You'll Learn
Antivenom for spider bites
There have been no recorded deaths from spider bites in Australia since 1979, thanks to the introduction of antivenom. Antivenom is a life-saving treatment that can prevent severe reactions to spider bites, including death. It is created by injecting horses, goats, or rabbits with small doses of spider venom, triggering their immune systems to produce antibodies. These antibodies are then used to make antivenom for humans.
In Australia, antivenom is available for funnel-web spider bites and Redback Spider (black widow) bites. Funnel-web spiders are considered some of the deadliest spiders in the world, with their bites causing paralysis, interference with blood clotting, muscle breakdown, pain, tissue breakdown, and cardiorespiratory issues. Male Sydney Funnel-web spiders have caused 13 recorded deaths, with 30-40 people bitten each year. Redback Spiders, on the other hand, are less deadly, with their bites causing pain, sweating, muscle cramps, and vomiting. Approximately 2,000 people are bitten by Redback Spiders each year.
While antivenom is available for these two types of spiders in Australia, there are other spiders that can cause significant bites, such as recluse spiders and mouse spiders. Recluse spider bites can cause loxoscelism, leading to local necrosis of the skin and red blood cell breakdown. Mouse spider bites may also be severe due to their toxic venom, but no deaths have been recorded.
It is important to note that most spider bites do not result in severe complications. However, if bitten by a spider, it is recommended to seek medical attention, especially in the case of widow spiders, funnel-web spiders, or Brazilian wandering spiders. Additionally, preventative measures such as clearing clutter and using pesticides can help reduce the risk of spider bites.
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Redback spider bites
Redback spiders (Latrodectus hasselti) are venomous spiders believed to originate in Australia. They are also known as the Australian black widow. The adult female is easily recognised by her spherical black body with a prominent red stripe on the upper side of her abdomen and an hourglass-shaped red/orange streak on the underside. The female redback lives in an untidy web in a warm sheltered location, commonly near or inside human residences. The redback spider has been historically responsible for more envenomations requiring antivenom than any other creature in Australia. However, by 2017, the spider was blamed for only 250 envenomations requiring antivenom annually.
The venom of the redback spider is predominantly neurotoxic to vertebrates, giving rise to the syndrome of latrodectism in humans. This starts with pain around the bite site, which typically becomes severe and progresses up the bitten limb, lasting for over 24 hours. Localised patches of sweating may also occur, along with general symptoms of nausea, vomiting, headache, and agitation, indicating severe envenomation. The larger female spider is responsible for almost all cases of redback spider bites, with the male bite usually only producing short-lived, mild pain. Most bites occur in the warmer months between December and April, in the afternoon or evening.
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Sydney Funnel Web spiders
No one in Australia has died from a confirmed spider bite since 1979, the year before antivenom was introduced. The Sydney funnel-web spider is native to eastern Australia and usually found within a 100km (62-mile) radius of Sydney. It is one of the world's deadliest spiders, and its bite can cause serious illness or death in humans if left untreated.
Sydney funnel-web spiders are mostly terrestrial and favour habitats with moist sand and clays. They typically build silk-lined tubular burrow retreats with collapsed "tunnels" or open "funnel" entrances from which irregular trip-lines radiate over the ground. They can also be found in forests and urban areas, where they burrow under rocks, rotting logs, crevices, rough-barked trees, and dense shrubberies. The spiders are very aggressive and will attack. They are known to have killed at least 15 people, with some sources placing the number of fatalities at 13.
The Sydney funnel-web spider is a member of a group of spiders known as Australian funnel-web spiders. Its body length ranges from 1 to 5 cm (0.4 to 2 inches). Both sexes are glossy and darkly coloured, ranging from blue-black to black, to shades of brown or dark plum. The male spider is smaller, growing to about 25mm long, while the female grows to 35mm. The male's venom is very toxic, and the female's funnel-web spider spends most of her time in her silk-lined burrow. The male Sydney funnel-web spider wanders during the warmer months, looking for females to mate with, making encounters with this species more likely.
Sydney funnel-web spiders are mainly active at night, as daytime conditions would dehydrate them. They feed on beetles, cockroaches, insect larvae, native land snails, millipedes, and occasionally frogs and other small vertebrates. They are cannibalistic and will sometimes eat other spiders. When threatened or provoked, they will display aggressive behaviour, rearing up on their hind legs and showing their fangs. When biting, they maintain a tight grip on their victim and often bite repeatedly.
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Deaths from spider bites in Australia since 1979
Spiders are generally feared for their venomous bites, which can cause sickness or even death. Australian spiders are no exception, with some of the most venomous species in the world calling the continent home. Despite this, there have been no confirmed deaths from spider bites in Australia since 1979. This is largely due to the introduction of effective antivenoms for the two spiders that have historically caused fatalities in the country: the Redback Spider (a type of black widow) and the funnel-web spider.
Redback Spiders, scientifically known as Latrodectus hasselti, are found in Perth and other parts of Australia. They were responsible for 6 out of 44 significant spider bite cases in a study of 750 genuine Australian spider bites over 27 months (1999-2001). Their bites can cause extreme pain, localised sweating, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and profuse sweating. While these spiders can be dangerous, antivenom has been available since 1956, and approximately 2,000 people are bitten by them each year without any resulting deaths.
Funnel-web spiders, on the other hand, are considered the world's most dangerous spiders. The male Sydney Funnel Web Spider, or Atrax robustus, is particularly deadly. These spiders are found within a 100 km diameter circle around Sydney and wander into houses or fall into swimming pools in search of female mates. Their bites can release the toxin Robustoxin (d-Atracotoxin-Ar1), leading to progressive hypotension and raised intracranial pressure resulting from cerebral oedema. However, like the Redback Spider, the introduction of antivenom in 1980 (some sources say 1981) has prevented any fatalities since 1979. This antivenom has been administered to at least 100 patients since its introduction.
While other spiders in Australia, such as the White-tailed Spider and the Brazilian Wandering Spider, have been blamed for severe health issues and even deaths, these claims are often based on limited evidence or are entirely unfounded. It is important to distinguish myth from reality when discussing the dangers of spider bites in Australia, as the development and availability of antivenoms have made fatalities extremely rare.
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Spider bite fatalities vs hospitalisations
Spider bites are a common fear, and Australia is known for its dangerous wildlife, including venomous spiders. However, it seems that fatalities from spider bites are incredibly rare in Australia. In fact, there have been no recorded deaths from spider bites in Australia in over 40 years. This is despite the presence of highly venomous spiders in the country, such as the funnel-web and redback spiders.
The last recorded fatality from a spider bite in Australia was in 1979, caused by a male Sydney funnel-web spider. Since then, antivenoms have been developed and made available, which have been successful in preventing deaths from spider bites. In 2016, there was a suspected case of a death from a redback spider bite, but it was not confirmed and may have been the first such death in over 60 years.
While spider bite fatalities are extremely rare in Australia, hospitalisations due to spider bites are more common. In 2017-2018, almost one-fifth of hospitalisations due to venomous bites and stings were caused by spider bites, with redback spiders being the most common culprit. Approximately 2,000 people are bitten by redback spiders each year in Australia, and while these bites rarely result in death, they can cause severe pain, sweating, muscular weakness, nausea, and vomiting.
Funnel-web spiders are also known to cause hospitalisations, with 30-40 people bitten by these spiders each year. These spiders are considered among the deadliest in the world in terms of their effects on humans, and only the male Sydney funnel-webs have caused human deaths. However, with the availability of antivenoms, hospitalisations due to funnel-web spider bites can be effectively managed.
In summary, while Australia is home to some highly venomous spiders, deaths from spider bites are extremely rare due to the availability of effective antivenoms. Hospitalisations due to spider bites do occur, with redback and funnel-web spiders being the most common causes, but these cases rarely result in fatalities.
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Frequently asked questions
There have been no confirmed deaths from spider bites in Australia in the last 40 years.
Yes, there have been recorded deaths from spider bites in Australia prior to 1980. The last recorded death was in 1979.
The male Sydney Funnel-Web Spiders and Redback Spiders are the only spiders in Australia that are known to have caused human deaths. However, there are many other venomous spiders in Australia, including the Mouse Spider and the Banana Spider.
If you are bitten by a spider in Australia, you should seek medical attention immediately. Antivenom treatments are available for both Funnel-Web and Redback Spider bites.
