Spider bites in France: Epidaemiology of cases occurring in 10 years in metropolitan France

Abstract

Spiders are often wrongly designated as responsible for cutaneous eruptions. We aim to describe spider bites and the spider species implicated in metropolitan France. A retrospective observational study was conducted for all reported cases of spider bites from 2007 to 2018 extracted from the French Poison Control Centers (PCCs) information system, after exclusion of non‐native spiders. We described identification of the spider, level of certainty of the bite, symptoms and severity of cases. 1194 cases of spider bites met the inclusion criteria. The average age of the patients was 36.9 ± 19.8 years. Identification of the species or at least that a spider was implicated was only possible in 346 cases (29.0%). Loxosceles were involved in 53 cases (4.4%), Latrodectus in 46 cases (3.9%) and Cheiracanthium in 35 cases (2.9%). In one third of cases, the involved spider was not known to be present where the bite occurred. Where most of the patients (n = 1111, 93%) reported at least one cutaneous symptom, most of the symptoms were neurological. The bite was considered proven in only 242 cases (20%). Despite the efforts of arachnologists to educate the public, the fear of spiders is still alive in France, where spider bite is rare with low severity and often unproven.

Spider bite envenomation on Reunion Island

“…2016; Le Roux et al . 2022). Several studies on the Heteropoda venatoria 's venom showed it acts as a potassium chain blocker.…”

“…When mishandled by human hands or accidentally trapped, the specie has been responsible for a few very rare painful bites, sometimes with noticeable swelling of the bitten area but without major effects (Cruveillier et al 2019;Edwards 2003;Ewunkem et al 2016;Le Roux et al 2022). Several studies on the Heteropoda venatoria's venom showed it acts as a potassium chain blocker.…”