injuries and poisoning
Spider Bites
Diagnosis of Spider Bites
A doctor's evaluation If possible, identification of the spider There is no way to identify a particular spider on the basis of its bite mark. Therefore, a specific diagnosis can be made only if the spider can be identified. Widow spiders are recognized by a red or orange hourglass-shaped marking on the abdomen. Brown spiders have a violin-shaped marking on their back. However, these identifying marks can be difficult to discern, and the spider is rarely retrieved intact, so the diagnosis is usually uncertain and based on symptoms. Many people mistake skin infections, some potentially serious (such as methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus[MRSA] infections), or other disorders for spider bites. 