Nurgazy Kyshtobaev believes that what is happening is connected with the hot weather and the capture of new territories around Bishkek by people as places to live. In addition, according to him, the Kyrgyz began to build houses in the habitats of not only karakurts, but also scorpions and dangerous snakes. As a result, cases when people are attacked by a poisonous creature that has entered the house, unfortunately, become common.
Toxicologists say that the number of victims of karakurt bites began to grow since 2005. Today in Kyrgyzstan every year several dozen people seek medical help after being attacked by a poisonous spider. For most of them, everything ends well. But there have also been some deaths.
In connection with the active discussion in society about the invasion of poisonous spiders, the Bishkek Center for Health Promotion issued a memorandum on what to do if you are bitten by a karakurt.
“For humans, female spiders are dangerous. At the time of the bite, most often you feel instant burning pain, which spreads throughout the body in a few minutes. Symptoms of general poisoning are observed: shortness of breath. , palpitations, increased heart rate, dizziness, headache, tremor, vomiting, sweating, feeling of heaviness in the thoracic and epigastric regions, protrusion of the eyeball and dilated pupils Symptoms last 24 to 48 hours, in severe cases up to several days. Full recovery can occur in 2-3 weeks, but the feeling of weakness persists for more months. In some cases, in the absence of medical attention, death occurs.”
What to do first? The Bishkek Health Promotion Center recommends calling an ambulance immediately. “While waiting for the doctors to arrive, you need to wash the bite site with soap and water, and the wound with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide or ethyl alcohol,” the doctors warn. the bite site. If you do this for 30 minutes, the absorption of the poison will slow down. For this purpose, a cold compress, ice, or metal objects will do. It is advisable to fix the bitten limb in a stationary position. This also slows down the absorption of the poison.”
At the center, you are urged to be extremely careful: always watch your step, do not go on picnics and walks in the tall grass, and keep an eye on your children.
By the way
If it is not possible to quickly seek medical help, experts advise cauterizing the bite site with a burning match. The high temperature quickly neutralizes the poison. But this must be done in the first minutes after the attack of the karakurt, before the toxin enters the bloodstream.
Opinion
Dmitry Milko, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic:
– There are definitely karakurts within Bishkek. They can even penetrate the upper levels of high-rise buildings, as their juveniles migrate through the air in networks. Therefore, if you have a place to hide on your balcony, and there is a food supply in the form of insects or other spiders, there is a risk that an adult female karakurt will settle next to you. Only she poses a serious danger to humans, since she has jaws that can bite through thin skin. The smallest spiders cannot do this.
Karakurt does not like drafts and the sun. Therefore, ventilate the premises, do not litter their houses and make sure that there are fewer insects nearby. They can attract the spider for food.
