Brown recluse bites caused two people's blood cells to self-destruct

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Bites from brown recluse spiders can cause an autoimmune form of hemolytic anemia, in which red blood cells are destroyed by the immune system.

Brown recluse bites caused two people's blood cells to self-destruct : Read more

 

[Ct. Paul]

I live in Connecticut, USA. I am 70 years old. I live adjacent to 450 acres of woodland. 15 years ago I developed an infection on my left cheek, a bit to the left of my nose. At the end of 5 days I had to go to the emergency room of local hospital. The doctors identified the infection as coming from the bite of a brown recluse spider. It was a flesh-eating bacteria infection. I had apparently gotten bitten while weeding my garden.

The medical team had to drain the toxins out of my cheek area. They told me that if I had waited another 1 - 2 days I could have gone blind. I still have an area that looks puckered up, where the necrotic tissue had been.

Forget thinking that these spiders are only found in the south. They may be more numerous in Southern States, but they are all over the country.

I used to enjoy hiking the White Mountains of New Hampshire. No more!