HORRIFYING photos reveal a spider bite victim's 12-month ordeal after her thigh wound turned into a huge open 'crater' in the skin.
The unidentified woman's injury was shared online and showed how the seemingly benign bite went from a small red lump to a black and infected wound in a matter of weeks.
A friend of the victim shared the photos to Reddit, writing: “So a friend of mine got bitten by a brown recluse.
“Here is the progression: she went to the doctor within 45 minutes of being bitten.
“14 days of antibiotics, three times a day. Everyday treatment for the first two weeks and once a week since then.”
A final image shows the wound after “exactly one year of healing”, leaving a crater-like scar in the woman's leg.
It took 12 long months of medical treatment to treat the bite as the soft tissue damage inflicted by Brown Recluse spiders can take months to heal.
An image of the spider which inflicted the bite was also shared.
“Actual spider that bit her,” the friend wrote. “She caught it and put it in a plastic zip lock to show the doctor.”
The photos have since gone viral on social media.
Brown Recluse spiders are usually not known as being aggressive and bites to humans are uncommon.
Although bites rarely cause death, they can cause significant “soft tissue destruction” which takes months to heal.
The species are normally only found in the south and central United States and normally grow to between 6 and 20mm (0.2 and 0.8 inches) in length – but they can grow larger.
The spiders are the second most venomous spiders in the States, after black widows.
Reddit users were shocked by the photos.
“Thanks for reminding me why I’m scared of spiders,” said one.
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In the UK, a five-year-old girl was left with a hole in her hand after being bitten by a suspected brown recluse spider.
Lucy Cannon had a large black scab after being attacked by the venomous creepy crawlie at her home in Framligham, Suffolk.
Another girl, Abbie Kinnaird from Colchester, Essex, was also left with a gaping hole after being gnawed by one of the critters.
What are the signs of a brown recluse spider bite?
This spider's bite is often not felt immediately, but can still be serious.
Lesions tend to be red, white and blue patches – which can develop into a volcano lesion.
In severe cases, the bite will become gangrenous and can leave an open wound as large as a human hand.
It can take eight weeks or longer for a full recovery, and scars can be left as a result.
Symptoms:
- Itching
- Chills
- Fever
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Feeling of discomfort
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