“Killer Spider” on the loose – The Two-Striped Telamonia
Posted On Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at at 12:08 PM by Owner
Although this doesn’t really link to the health issues directly in this BLOG, but it is health hazard enough for people to freak out and eventually cause injury when they face this harmless “killer spider” therefore I have decided to write a post on this to let everyone know more about this.
Usually when any Twilight-Zone fan sees a spider they would remember the good old Black and White series where the spider was put on the man’s chest and there goes a healthy person turned to a corps! This is one of the Twilight-Zone series that I will never forget when I watched it as a child.
The Two-Striped Telamonia
Recently I received this email regarding the recent stole-away spider that is lurking around and hurting a lot of people, especially women, the “ding ding ding ding… ding ding ding ding…” music will float in my mind and out came that Black and White image of the killer spider.
Well, don’t panic. This “killer spider” doesn’t suck the life and flesh out of you and turn you to a corps while you are unconscious, neither does it has the venom (at least not known to researchers) that brings fatal to a human. But lets see what this “killer spider” email looks like so that we are prepared to know whether it is a hoax or genuine in the future:
The hoax email
Three women in KL, turned up at hospitals over a 5-day period, all with the same symptoms. Fever, chills, and vomiting, followed by muscular collapse, paralysis, and finally, death. There were no outward signs of trauma. Autopsy results showed toxicity in the blood.
These women did not know each other, and seemed to have nothing in common. It was discovered, however, that they had all visited the same Restaurant along Jalan Kuchai Lama within days of their deaths.
The health department descended on the restaurant, shutting it down.
The food, water, and air conditioning were all inspected and tested, to no avail. The big break came when a waitress at the restaurant was rushed to the hospital with similar symptoms. She told doctors that she had been on vacation, and had only went to the restaurant to pick up her check. She did not eat or drink while she was there, but had used the restroom.
That is when one toxicologist, remembering an article he had read, drove up to the restaurant, went into the restroom, and lifted the toilet seat.
Under the seat, out of normal view, was a small spider. The spider was captured and brought back to the lab, where it was determined to be the Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia imidiata), so named because of its reddened flesh color. This spider's venom is extremely toxic, but can take several days to take effect. They live in cold, dark, damp climates, and toilet rims provide just the right atmosphere.
Several days later a lawyer from JB showed up at a hospital emergency room. Before his death, he told the doctor, that he had been away on business, had taken a flight from Indonesia, changing planes in Singapore, before returning home. He did not visit the restaurant, while there. He did, as did all of the other victims, have what was determined to be a puncture wound, on his right buttock..
Investigators discovered that the flight he was on had originated in India. The Civilian Aeronautics Board (CAB) ordered an immediate inspection of the toilets of all flights from India, and discovered the Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata) spider's nests on 4 different planes!
It is now believed that these spiders can be anywhere in the country. So please, before you use a public toilet, lift the seat to check for spiders. It can save your life! And please pass this on to you care about.
So lets come clean and know more about this hoax email and the so far, truth about this spider.
There is not now and never was a Civilian Aeronautics Board. There was a Civil Aeronautics Board, but it was abolished in 1984 in the wake of airline deregulation.
The Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata), according to entomologists, is actually a jumping spider native to Indonesia, there has yet to find any legitimate sources warning that its venom is deadly to humans. Given that its natural habitat is the rain forest -- a damp but not particularly cold or dark environment – yet it seems unlikely the Two-Striped Telamonia would find the undersides of porcelain toilet rims an especially hospitable place to dwell.
Therefore, do not panic when you read this email anymore.
Source : http://www.health2know.com/killer-spider-on-the-loose-the-twostriped-telamonia/
