Boy Dies From Brown Recluse Spider Bite

ALBERTVILLE, Ala. — Branson Riley Carlisle, 5, died Nov. 23, at a hospital in Albertville, Ala., after being bitten by a brown recluse spider, Al.com reports.

According to the Al.com article, the boy’s mother, Jessica Carlisle, had the presence of mind to save the spider and photograph it. Additionally, she photographed her son's bite wound at 15 minutes, 1 hour and 9 hours after the bite.  Mike Howell, a retired Samford University professor who co-authored "Spiders of the Eastern United States: A Photographic Guide," confirmed through the photographs that the spider that bit Branson was a brown recluse, the article said.

"It is indeed a brown recluse spider," Howell said. "And, there is the classical tissue necrosis of the boy's back. This confirms that this spider's bite can sometimes be very serious, especially if the toxin becomes systemic."
A systemic response occurs in less than 1 percent of brown recluse bites. Although that type of reaction can result in death, it is rare, retired UC-Riverside Professor Rick Vetter said in the article.

Source: www.al.com