Finlayson, M.H.

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GeneeskundePosbus 643, KaapstadSouth African Medical JournalSuid...Afrikaanse Tydskrif virP.G. Box 643, Cape TownCape Town, 28 May 1955Weekly 2s. 6d. Vol. 29 No. 22SPIDER-BITE IN SOUTH AFRICA *M. H. FINLAYSON, B.Sc., M.B., CH.B., D.P.H.Pathologist,' Cape TownKaapstad, 28 Mei 1955Weekliks 2s. 6d.The existence of venomous spiders in Southern Africahas long been known but until the early part of thepresent century no definitely venomous species hadbeen identified. In 1902 F. Pickard-Cambridge 1 de-scribed two species of Latrodectus-L. indistinctus, andL. concinnus which Snilthers 9 in 1944 showed to be asynonym of L. geometricus.From time to time cases of spider-bite were reportedin the Union, particularly in the coastal belt of theWestern Province. The cases varied in severity andin a number of instances serious illness and even deathwas recorded. These cases were attributed to a blackspider locally known as the knopiespinnekop. In 1929Dr. G. W. E. Macpherson 2 of Stellenbosch publisheda note on a series of 6 cases of spider-bite occurring inthe Stellenbosch district. He stated that the cases weredue to the bite of Latrodectus maculata. Specimensof this spider were later identified as L. geometricus.In 1936 and 1937 Finlayson 3, 4, 5 showed that the biteof the female of both L. geometricus and L. indistinctuscould produce illness in man. The female of L. indis-tinctus 'was found to be the knopiespinnekop or Buttonspider.Apart from' the two species of Latrodectus, a memberof the genus Harpactirella, H. lightfooti was reportedby Finlayson and Snilthers 6 in 1939 as producing twocases of arachnidism on Jutten Island, an island inSaldanha Bay, Cape.DISTRIBUTIO AND BIONOMICSSnilthers 9 (1944) investigated the distribution. andbiononilcs of L. indistinctus and L. geometricus. Hefound that both species are widely spread throughoutSouth Africa and the Rhodesias. Cases of spider-bitedue to L. indistinctus, however, have only been reported* Abridgment of paper read before the First InternationalConference on Animal Venoms, 121st Annual meeting of theAmerican Association for Advancement of Science, Berkeley,California, December 1954.from the wheat lands of the Western Province and ofthe Eastern Orange Free State. Illness due to the biteof L. geometricus has been reported from the Stellen-bosch and Constantia districts.Snilthers found that L. indistinctus, amongst othersites, makes its nest in the wheat lands of the WesternProvince. During the harvest season these nests aredisturbed and exposed to the sun, causing the spidersto seek shade and shelter in the sheaves of wheat whichare left to dry in the fields. The workers collect severalof these sheaves under their arms and may thus comeinto contact with a spider, which, being irritated byfriction with the clothing or skin, may inflict a bite.The majority of cases of spider-bite, none of whichwere fatal, caused by L. geometricus, have been reportedas occurring in vineyards in the Western Province.This spider makes its nest in and around buildings,round barns, stables, garden buildings, under the barkof trees, under stones and in tufts of grass, bushes andvines. The reported cases have occurred in summerwhen grapes are being harvested and the spiders havebeen disturbed.Four species of Harpactirella, an exclusively SouthAfrican genus, have been described, all from the CapeProvince. H. lightfooti was originally described fromPaarl, but is apparently of much wider distributionthan was at first supposed. These spiders are very activeand aggressive and as they are hunting spiders theyreadily come into contact with man. The nests consistof silk-lined tunnels under stones, logs or other debris.H. lightfooti is a large spider with fornildable fangsand closely resembles the non-venomous Harpactirabaviaana locally known as the Bobbejaanspinnekop.TOXICOLOGYThe venom of the South African species of Latrodectuswas investigated by Finlayson 3,4,5 (1936, 1937), whoshowed that extracts of the cephalothoraces of thesespiders contained a potent venom. The venom of thefemale L. indistinctus was, however, much more potent509510 S.A. MEDICAL JOURNAL 28 May 1955than that of the female L. geometricus, the mimmumfatal dose of the venom of the former for rabbits being3 mg. as against 12 mg. of the venom of the latter.Cross neutralization and precipitin tests with thevenom of L. indistinctus and L. geometricus, and anti-sera prepared with ,these venoms, showed that L. in-distinctus venom not only contains the same antigensas L. geometricus venom but also an additional antigen.Antisera prepared against L. indistinctus venom couldtherefore be used in the treatment of spider~bite causedby either L. indistinctus or L. geometricus.In 1945 Finlayson and Hollow 8 showed that a sampleof purified L. mactans antiserum concentrate obtainedfrom Dr. R. Sampayo was very effective in neutralizingthe venom of L. indistinctus and in protecting miceagainst the bite of this spider. It would appear thereforethat L. mactans and L. indistinctus venoms contain acommon antigen and unless the venom of L. mactanscontains additional antigens, the antigenic compositionof the two venoms is identical, as complete protectionagainst the bite of L. indistinctus was achieved by theinjection of anti-mactans serum. Until the action ofL. indistinctus antiserum on L. mactans venom is in-vestigated the complete identity of the two venomscannot be determined.Whilst it- was possible to demonstrate that H. light-footi possessed a potent venom by causing the spiderto bite mice and guinea pigs, the extreme lability ofthe venom prevented its isolation. It was therefore notpossible for an antiserum to be prepared against thisvenom. Experiments with mice passively immunizedwith L. indistinctus antivenine and then bitten by H.light/ooti suggested that L; indistinctus antivenine con-ferred some protection, in experimental animals, againstthe bite of H. light/ooti.TRFATMENT OF SPIDER-BITE IN SOUTH AFRICAFollowing the preparation of a potent antiserum againstL. indistinctus venom, which was also shown to beeffective against the venom of L. geometricus, thisserum was issued on request to magistrates and districtsurgeons throughout the Union. In, 1937 Finlayson 6published a report on the effect of the antiserum inthe treatment of 18 cases of spider-bite, all of whichappeared to benefit from the serJlm injections. Fromtime to time further reports on the efficiency of the)BOOKS RECEIVEDThe Year. Book of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery (1954-1955 Year Book Series). Edited by Roland P. Mackay, M.D.,S. Bernard Wortis, M.D., Percival Bailey, M.A. and Oscar Surgar,M.D. Pp. 619 with 97 illustrations. S7.00. Chicago: Year BookPublishers, Inc. 1955.Ciba Foundation Colloquia on Endocrinology. Volume VIIIThe Human Adrenal Cort x. Edited by G. E. W. Wolstenholme,O.RE., M.A., M.B., RCh."Margaret P. Cameron, M.A., A.B.L.S.and Joan Etherington. Pp. 665+xv with 227 illustrations. 55s.London: J. &. A. Churchill, Ltd. 1955.Storkie's Footsteps, captions by Oom Harry and lino-cuts byJoan. Pp. 53 with illustrations. 7s. 6d. Obtainable at C.N.A.Ooievaarspore, woorde deur Oom Harry en linosnitte deuI- Joan.53 bladsye met illustrasies. 7s. 6d. Verkrygbaar by die SentraleNuusagentskap.serum in the treatment of 'Knopie-spider' bite werereceived, and it is of interest to note that no reportshave been received of death in cases of spider-bitetreated with serum, whereas before the issue of theserum a number of fatal cases of spider-bite had beenreported in the Union.During the period 1936-1945, 762 phials of anti-vemne were issued from the Union Health DepartmentLaboratories at Cape Town and, from 1949 to 1953,1,794 ampoules were issued by the South African In-stitute for Medical Research, Johannesburg, whichundertook the manufacture and issue of the serum in1949. It is evident from these figures that there hasbeen a marked increase in the demand for L. indistinctusantivenine over the 4-year period 1949-1953 as com-pared with the 7-year period 1939-1945. No reportshave been received of the effect of the serum in treatingcases of bite by H. light/ooti.Bogen,lO discussing in 1955 the treatment of poisoningfrom the bite of L. mactans (Black Widow spider) inthe U.S.A. stated that a multitude oftherapeutic measures,including the use Qf convalescent serum and immuneanimal serum had been enthusiastically acclaimed andjust as strongly flouted. He emphasized the need forcontrolled studies and critical consideration of theaction of the various therapeutic measures and stressedthe necessity for investigation of the treatments used.It is not unreasonable to assume that the increaseddemand for L. indistinctus antivenine in the' Union,results from its therapeutic efficiency. In view, however,pf the paucity of reports on its efficacy since 1937,it is suggested that an estimation of the value of serumtherapy in the treatment of spider-bite in South Africashould now be made.REFERENCES1. Pickard-Cambridge, F. (1902): Ann. Mag. Nal. Hist. (7) X,p.38.2. Macpherson, G. W. E. (1928): S. Afr. Med. J., 3, 69I.3. Finlayson, M. H. (1936): Ibid., 10,43.4. Idem (1936): Ibid., 10, 735.5. Idem (1937): Ibid., 11, 163.6. Finlayson, M. H. and Smithers, R. (1939): Ibid., 13, 808.7. Finlayson, M. H. (1955): Arachnidism in S. Africa, Trans.1st Inl. Corn. Animal Venoms. In press.8. Finlayson, M. H. and Hollow, K. (1945): S. Afr. Med. J.,19,431.9. Smithers, R. (1944): Ann. S. Afr. Mus., 36, 263.10. BogeD, E. (1955): Treatment of Spider-bite Poisoning, Trans.1st Inl. Corn. Animal Venom~. 'In press.BOEKE ONTVANGA Survey of the Food and Feed Resources of the Union of SouthAfrica. By G. van de Wall, M.Se. Agric. (Pret.) and E. D. Alvord,Jnr., M.Sc. Agric. (pret.). Pp. 3l2+xiv, with figures. ~retoria:J. L. van Schaik, Ltd. 1954.Basic Medical Terms and Techniques Simplified. By Minnie I.Paddock. Pp. 148+v. Chicago: American Technical Society.1955. 'Stammering: Its Cause and Cure. A Supplement to Stammer isnot Nerves. By H. V. Hemery, L.R.A.M. Pp. 17+iv with 5illusttations. London: The School for Functional Speech Dis-ability. 1955. 'The Year Book of Orthopedics and Traumatic Surgery. (1954-1955 Year Book Series). Edited by Edward L. Compere, M.D.,F.A.C.S., EI.C.S. Pp. 384+193 illustrations. Chicago: YearBook Publishers, Inc. 1955.

Spider-bite in South Africa

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Spider-bite in South Africa

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