SAC

Sac spiders are yellowish with a black head. It is an aggressive spider and is responsible for most spider bites in South Africa. They are notorious for the nasty bite they give, and most bites occur during the night when an unsuspecting victim rolls over on a roaming spider. Sac spiders have cytotoxic venom – the bite is painless and looks like a mosquito bite. After a few days it is swollen and painful and eventually forms a large lesion. No anti-venom is available, but antibiotics are needed to treat the lesion and prevent infection and tissue damage. The wound can take up to four weeks to heal, but in severe cases it can take up to a decade for the area to recover. Hospitalisation is not necessary, but plastic surgery is sometimes needed to remove damaged tissue.

• Keep calm. A spider bite does not mean instant death – in most cases you only need a painkiller, antihistamine and wound management. For button spiders, however, the patient should be taken to hospital immediately. Also, children should be checked out by a doctor as soon as possible after a bite.
• Try to catch the spider – this makes identification and treatment much easier.
•  Wash the bite site with soap and water. Apply an ice pack.
•  Wounds should be kept clean, and antiseptic cream applied regularly.
• All spider bite victims must go for a booster tetanus injection.
•  If more severe symptoms appear, see a doctor immediately.