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How Dangerous is a Hobo Spider Bite?

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Typically, a hobo spider bite is unlikely to be deadly, but it can be dangerous. This aggressive spider’s bite can cause a painful, nasty-looking sore, and in some cases, severe gastrointestinal and headache symptoms. Sometimes, this spider's bite may even cause symptoms that mimic the flu. A hobo spider bite may cause tissue death in the bite area, and in an extreme case, a patient may need a skin graft or even an amputation because of it. Rarely, hobo spider bites lead to a condition called bone marrow failure, which can be life-threatening.

The hobo spider bite is dangerous because of its ability to cause severe symptoms in some cases, though a person who is bitten by this type of spider will not usually die from it. A bite victim may develop redness in the affected area that eventually blisters. Within just a day or two, the blister caused by a hobo spider bite usually becomes ulcerated and starts to ooze. The ulcerated blister, which can be painful, typically develops a scab within two to three weeks. Unfortunately, the bite usually leaves permanent scarring in the area.

Doctor
Doctor

When the hobo spider bites a person in a fatty area, the bite wound may take much longer to heal. For example, the wound left behind in fatty tissues can be so deep that it may not heal completely for more than two years. As with hobo spider bites that affect less fatty tissues, these bites are likely to leave permanent scars behind.

Sometimes a hobo spider bite can also cause a systemic reaction, which means it can affect a person’s entire body. In such a case, a person may have a severe headache and may also suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting. Sometimes these bites may also cause a person to have flu-like symptoms as well. In fact, a person with an extreme systemic reaction to a hobo spider bite may even suffer from bone marrow failure, which is marked by the inadequate production of red blood cells. Bone marrow failure is one of the cases in which a hobo spider bite can prove fatal.

Though the hobo spider bite can cause a significant amount of tissue death, some people heal with only scarring left behind. Others, however, suffer from so much tissue damage that doctors must perform skin grafts, which involve transplanting healthy skin, to treat the affected area. In rare, severe circumstances, amputation may be required to save a person's life.

Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a WiseGEEK writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...
Nicole Madison
Nicole Madison

Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a WiseGEEK writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

serenesurface

@ankara-- Another sign that the bite is serious is if the skin turns black. This means that skin has started to die!

bluedolphin

@donasmrs-- You should definitely take your precautions if you think there are hobo spiders around. But don't worry so much, they're not that dangerous.

I was bit by a hobo spider and I didn't have any problems. It was a dry bite, the spider didn't release any venom. I heard that hobo spiders inject venom only about half the time, the other half are dry bites and they are not dangerous.

You'll know if venom was injected because the area will get very numb and then red.

donasmrs

This sounds very scary!

My husband said that he saw what he thinks a hobo spider in the garden. He looked at pictures and it closely resembles one. I had never heard of this type of spider so I wanted to find out how dangerous it is. I'm very scared now. I don't think I'm going to do any gardening unless I have long clothes and gloves on.

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