Man dies after suffering 19 Black Widow spider bites

[AntZ]

Man dies after suffering 19 Black Widow spider bites

Greg Nieto & Web Staff

FOX31 Denver

6:42 AM MDT, July 22, 2011




BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. -- A man from Erie, Colo. died after getting bitten by a black widow spider. Health experts say it's a rare for someone to die from black widow bites.

Jeff Seale, 40, noticed 19 bites on his foot two weeks before he died. His sister says he worked at a horse stable, and she wonders if that's where her brother might've encountered the spider.

Seale was an accomplished baseball player when he was younger.

The Fairview High School baseball team in Boulder is practicing this week for a tournament they are hosting, and even though many of them had never met Jeff Seale, they knew of his legacy.

“When you assess that type of tradition, you definitely look up to him," says Brian Sture, a graduating senior.

In the late 1980s, Seale was one of the best pitchers, not only for Fairview, but in Boulder County. He was drafted by the Mets, and he also played for the University of Texas.

When his baseball career ended, he settled back in Boulder County.

Seale died last week, just a couple of weeks after he noticed a spider bit him.

The Boulder County Coroner's Office says it could be 4-6 weeks before an official cause of death is released.

"It's just hard to accept," says Rick Harig, head baseball coach for Fairview and one of Seale's former coaches in the 80s.

Funeral services are pending.

In the meantime, the Fairview baseball team hopes to win its second consecutive tournament, which it has dedicated to Jeff Seale.

Video report:

http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-man-dies-after-suffering-19-black-widow-spider-bites-20110721,0,5774918.story

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In Southern California, Black Widows are very common! I was raised to always stay away from them, and as a kid, you would always find them in dark spaces. They would always show up in the garage, you always had to look out for them when you moved things around.

[Goofy]

2 weeks :wha:


During the first 24 hours after a bite:

Severe pain in muscle groups local to the bite.
Muscle cramping, primarily in the abdomen, back and thighs.
Headache, dizziness, tremors, salivation, diaphoresis (excessive sweating), nausea and vomiting.
Anxiety, fatigue, insomnia.
Lacrimation (tearing of the eyes).
Migratory arthralgia (joint pain).
Tachycardia (rapid heart beat), bradycardia (very slow heart beat), restlessness, hypertension (elevated blood pressure), Tachypnea (hyperventilation).

In some rare and extreme cases, severe complications can arise:

Spontaneous abortion, preterm labor
Priapism
Acute renal failure (failing of kidney function).
Myocarditis, rhabdomyolysis, paralysis.
Shock, coma, and death.

Symptoms that may be present at or near the wound:

Rash, slight erythema (redness of skin), Piloerection (goose bumps).
Mild edema (swelling due to excess fluid).
Lesion or mild infection (rare).


Surprised he never went to a doctor or hospital, must've been in severe pain :wha:

[Loser]

I get shit tons of them bastages under my pier every year while taking it in and out.

When I was younger I was laid up in the hospital for almost a week because of a widow bite directly over my heart.

[AntZ]

You learn at an early age to always check your shoes if you leave them outside or in the garage! Many many people have been bit on their toes just before you smash them. It's said to be horrible painful and even deadly to the elderly and children.

[deebakes]

where's lance :shock:

[Southern Belle]

Black widows are more scary than snakes around here because they are so small but so small and dangerous. *shudders*

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Surprised he never went to a doctor or hospital, must've been in severe pain :wha:

There's tons of Black Widows here, but if you are a healthy adult, they will rarely give you the anti-venom for a bite. Black Widow bites are most dangerous to young children and the elderly. Usually if a healthy adult is bitten (and you aren't allergic) it will just make you sick.

[Deepsepia]

Bad story. I haven't heard of a healthy adult dying from them before -- just hurts like an SOB

Where I grew up, brown recluse were much more worried about . . . leaves a nasty, kinda gangrenous wound. Had a neighbor who had to get a leg amputated (she had other troubles, diabetes that contributed) . . . but still that's what scared me.

[Southern Belle]

Black Widows are under anything damp around here. You have to be careful to pick anything up off the ground that's been there for any length of time. I've even found them in my gang box that lives behind the shed.

I was growing up in a time when here in the rural south, there were still outhouses until the 60s.
My Daddy always said that PaPa was bitten by a black widow in the outhouse and was never in good health after that.

[Noilly Pratt]

I don't think we have black widows - in the interior of our province yes where it's warmer but not here, but definitely we have brown recluses. I found one when scavenging for engine parts at a barn - scared the crap out of me and my friend nearly tried to squash it with his fingers until I stopped him.

[Hal-9000]

the first 18 didn't tip him off? if he noticed them 2 weeks before succumbing, hey! why not visit a doctor when you have a spare minute :)

[Foxdana]

hey! why not visit a doctor when you have a spare minute :)

Might have been because he's a man. :lol:

[Hal-9000]

I don't like spiders...especially anything bigger than a...pinhead :lol:

I would be Mr Stompyboots and wear knee high leather hooker boots with pointy toes.

[SmoothBob]

I always thought Black Widows were deadly! I remember fae school them saying it was the deadliest spider in the world, and now ur tellin me they dont always give anti-venom!

Whit??

[Pony]

Might have been because he's a man. :lol:

:mrgreen: That sounds about right.