One bite can cause anemia

(Lynn Whitt)

A new, small study from researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in the US city of Memphis, Tennessee has found a link between sudden acute anemia cases and bites from the brown recluse spider, also know as the violin spider.

The study was published in January in the Journal of Pediatrics, a peer-reviewed journal for clinical practice, and found that the venom from the spider triggers a response in "about 30% of children."

The most common response is anemia but "less frequently, kidney failure and clotting problems develop" and "in rare cases, the researchers reported the bite has been linked to multi-organ failure and death."

Jenny McDade, DO, researcher and hematologist at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, "the bite is often painless, and it is frequently missed."

There is no cause for alarm the brown recluse spider is reclusive adoring "quiet life lived in dry wood piles, under rocks or in corners of dark closets or attics." Most commonly found throughout the United States and Mexico.

If a child should begin to show sudden signs of fatigue or weakness, check to see if they have been bitten and consult your physician. A bite can easily be treated with steroids.

Study: http://www.jpeds.com/article/S0022-3476%2809%2900654-4/abstract