Sydney Funnel-Web Spiders

Medical Topic of the day:
Today's Topic:  Everyone always worries about brown recluses and black widow spider bites but they are rarely fatal.  The real spiders that you don't want to bite you are in Australia.  It is called the Sydney Funnel-Web spider and it is deadly as hell.

Off the top of my head: I don't know anything about this spider.  I know that brown recluses can cause massive tissue destruction and be very painful and I know that black widows can be fatal but rarely are.

My research today:  Atrax robustus is the genus and species of the Sydney Funnel-Web spider.  It's name comes from the fact that you can find it exclusively in a 99 mile radius around the city of Sydney, Australia.  Like most things in Australia, the Funnel-Web spider can and will kill you.

This spider has a very nasty and specific kind of venom.  It's called delta-atracotoxin and it is an amino acid chain functioning as a neurotoxin.  It is an ion channel inhibitor which causes your nerve cells to continually fire causing intense pain at the wound site and then leads to cell dysfunction and death.

Oddly this particular brand of venom is most toxic to hominids, that is humans and apes.  What also sucks about Funnel-Web spiders is that they strike multiple times if disturbed and have huge fangs.  Unlike other kinds of poisonous spiders these guys get a full envenomation injecting 1 to 2 milligrams on the first bite.

Those guys right there.

Symptoms of delta-atracotoxin onset approximately 20 to 30 minutes after the bite.  It is extremely painful I imagine it probably feel like where you got bit is being held over a fire.  Any number of symptoms can occur while the neurotoxin spreads causing destruction in your autonomic and motor neurons eventually causing death.

Luckily for you delta-atracotoxin isn't dealdy.  At least not since the development of the antivenom in 1981.

I'm done for the day, have a good night.

Quest to 180:
Current Weight:  Not weighing myself
Activity Today:  Walking
Diet today:  Meh.

Comments: I finally got some sleep.  I am feeling better.  Lousy weather today.

The MAN:
Confidence Level:  Meh
Social Engineering Tactics:  Confidence
Comments:  Workin on it.


Random:
Listening to:  Nothing today
Watching:  Profit
Reading:  Didn't read today.....yet.

Something fun:  American Science & Surplus - Do you need a roll of 29 donut magnets?  Sure you do!

There are no exact figures but you might swallow up to 8 spiders a year.  Statistically anyhow.  Sleep tight.

Questions or comments can be submitted to dudaday@gmail.com

Disclaimer:  I am not a health care provider, any information presented in this blog should not be considered advice, it is mealy an outlet to slake my curiosity.  You should always consult your primary medical provider for any concerns or illness.  Unlike Tylenol, I am not approved by the FDA or American Medical Association to treat or provide relief for any ailment.