A Government hospital in Dubai has admitted that it doesn't stock antivenom for the poisonous redback spider.

The news comes despite growing numbers of sightings of the spider in the city.

Ambulances, hospitals and even doctor's surgeries in Australia, where the spider is common, have the drug on their shelves.

Gulf News spoke with a doctor at Rashid Hospital who confirmed the antivenom is not carried in emergency ambulances and the hospital does not store it.

Leigh Evans, a father of three, said his daughter could have easily been bitten by the redback.

"I went into the garden to move my 4-year-old daughter's paddling pool," said Evans, who lives in The Springs.

"Nestled behind the pool I spotted a sticky web with a spider in the middle.

"Luckily, I had read about the redback spider and recognised it. But underneath the web, I also noticed two spider nests. They were quite small and looked like tiny white sacks.

"I killed the spider and picked up the web and nests with a stick and took them to some waste ground.

"It is only since the discovery that my wife and I have thought about what could have happened.

"One bite from the spider would have more than likely resulted in the death of our daughter Charlotte."

Evans, a graphic designer, said he has spotted two more redbacks in the area.

Redback spiders, or latrodectus hasselti, come from Australia, and it is believed they were imported to the UAE about 10 years ago.

They are more common in urban areas.

They favour proximity to human habitation, with webs being built in dry, sheltered sites, such as among rocks and in logs and shrubs.

The redback spider, which is a member of the black widow family, is less common in winter months in the UAE.

Redback bites occur frequently in Australia, particularly over the summer months.

There are more than 250 reported cases of victims receiving antivenom in Australia each year.

Only the female bite is dangerous. They can cause serious illness and have also caused deaths.

Since redback spiders rarely leave their webs, human beings are not likely to be bitten unless a hand, for instance, is put directly into the web.

The redback spider's venom acts directly on the nerves, resulting in the release and subsequent depletion of neurotransmitters.

What to look out for … and what to do if bitten by a redback

  • Female redback spiders are black (occasionally brown) with an obvious orange to red longitudinal stripe on the upper abdomen, with the red stripe sometimes being broken, and an hourglass-shaped red/orange spot on the underside of the abdomen.
  • Juveniles have additional white markings on the abdomen. Females have a body about the size of a large pea (1cm long) and slender legs.
  • The males are only about 3mm to 4mm long and their red markings are often less distinct.
  • The body is light brown with white markings on the upper side of the abdomen, and a pale hour-glass marking on the underside.
  • Spiders commonly mistaken for redbacks include their close relatives, the cupboard spider, the grey house spider and other members of the family theridiidae.
  • As the venom of the redback and other spiders moves very slowly, any attempt to restrict its progress only serves to increase the associated pain, which can be excruciating.

Quick action …

  • Do not bandage
  • The patient should be kept calm and reassured; all undue movement should be avoided
  • Use an ice-pack on the bite site to reduce the swelling
  • If safe to do so, take the spider to the hospital for identification