The violin spider in Italy: characteristics, prevention and consequences of the bite

The violin spider is a species that has always been present in Italy, where it is literally at home, as it can be found wherever there are dusty crevices in which it likes to hide. Described as a non-aggressive species, "if it is not disturbed it tends to move away. It can remain hidden and only reacts by biting if it gets too close and feels threatened. Its bite is generally very quick and in 70% it does not cause serious damage,' says toxicologist Donata Favretto, of the University of Padua.

The first rule to prevent a bite is to use gloves and protect your arms and legs if you have to work in dusty environments where the spider could easily hide. The scientific name of the fiddler spider is Loxosceles rufescens. It is a small animal: its body is less than a centimetre in size and at the front it has a spot that resembles the shape of aviolin; with its legs it reaches a size of 4-5 centimetres. It is not, however, easily recognisable and has no conspicuous colour; it also has nocturnal habits.

'When the fiddler spider bites,' the expert continues, 'it generally injects little venom and a pimple forms that regresses spontaneously. The sensation is little stronger than a mosquito bite. 'Scientific literature reports that in one out of three cases the fiddler spider manages to inject atoxin'. When this happens, lesions can appear 24-48 hours later that, if neglected, form a ulcer, destroying the surrounding tissues. 'It can take months to heal and in some cases the tissue has to be surgically removed,' Favretto notes. Moreover, 'if the ulcer is not treated in time, the cell death extends and the gangrene leads to secondary infections and other pathologies'.

When the lesion appears, the toxicologist continues, the rule is to wash it, then protect yourself with an anti-inflammatory and watch how it develops: initially red, with time the lesion tends to become darker and darker. When these changes are observed, it is advisable to contact a poison control centre. Fatal cases are rare, however, and it is always difficult to relate death to the bite, considering the length of time it takes for the lesion to appear. The first case of a fatal bite was described in Italy in 2015. 'Generally,' notes the expert, 'it is difficult to attribute the effects to the violin spider if you do not see the spider immediately after the bite.