Funnel-web spider
Sydney - Matthew was helping his father clean a shed when he was bitten by the spider.
Published: Sun 26 Feb 2017, 2:46 PM
10-year-old Matthew Mitchell was given 12 vials of antivenom after being bitten by the deadliest spider in the world, a male funnel-web spider. The usual dose of antivenom for a funnel-web spider bite is three to five vials.
Matthew did not show any adverse effects to the high dose of antivenom he was given, according to The Daily Telegraph. Experts are surprised by the way Matthew's body has handled a dose of antivenom that is twice or thrice the usual dose. In January, a woman in Australia was bitten by a funnel-web spider and she was treated with four vials of antivenom.
Matthew was helping his father clean a shed when he was bitten by the spider. The pain spread and he began to froth at the mouth. He also started sweating.
His father Darren tied Matthew's shirt as a tourniquet and rushed him to a hospital where he received treatment. The bite of the funnel web spider is fatal if not countered with antivenom within 15 minutes.
The spider was captured and taken to Australian Reptile Park to be milked for antivenom. The Park has been asking Australians not to kill funnel-web spiders as their venom can be used in future rescues.
The funnel-web spider's venom is fast-acting and children's immune systems are more vulnerable than those of adults. The antivenom was introduced in 1981.
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