Redback spiders in Dubai: how dangerous are they?

Sightings of one of the world's most feared spiders are increasing in Dubai, according to a leading expert in the UAE.

A creature that looks very similar to the venomous redback spider, which is native to Australia, has been spotted several times in recent months across the emirate in The Greens, The Springs and the Mira community on Al Qudra Road.

There is no definitive evidence that this is the same species as the Australian redback, and it could be one of three other species that look almost identical.

"With the UAE importing as much produce as it does, especially from Australia, it would be unreasonable to believe the Australian redback does not occur here," said ecologist and Dubai resident Adrian Hudson.

The expert said it was easy to explain the increase in sightings of the redback – which belongs to the Latrodectus family of spiders – because they are breeding and colonising new areas.

There hasn't been a recorded death from a redback bite since the 1950s

While many people believe redbacks' venom to be potentially fatal, their fearsome reputation as killers is exaggerated.

"There is an incorrect impression that if you are bitten by a redback spider then you will die," Mr Hudson said.

“That’s actually not the case at all. I have been in contact with colleagues about this and there hasn’t been a recorded death from a redback bite since the 1950s.

"Modern medicine means it is unlikely a bite from a Latrodectus spider will kill you."

He said that while data for spider bites in the UAE was unavailable, there were many global examples that proved a Latrodectus spider bite was not likely to be fatal, including in South Africa where hundreds of incidents are reported as mildly symptomatic.

Widow spider bites unlikely to cause death

An antivenom is available for redback spider bites. Ian Waldie / The National

Several thousand black widow bites are reported in the US States each year, while the Australian Museum said more than 2,000 people were bitten on average each year by the redback.

The museum said redback bites were more likely during the summer, with early symptoms including pain, which can become severe, muscular weakness, nausea and vomiting.

An antivenom is available and no deaths have been recorded since its introduction in 1956.

Given the physical similarity between redbacks and related species known as widow spiders, and the huge amount of produce imported into the UAE, Mr Hudson said it would not be unreasonable to presume other species of widow spider are in the UAE.

But he did offer some words of comfort to Dubai residents with arachnophobia.

"To get bitten by a redback you would literally have to go and stick your finger into its web and touch it before it will bite. They are normally shy and reclusive and remain in the web from its construction until they die, unless forced to move," he said.

“The only time see you will see them move is during dispersal when the youngsters start moving away from the adult’s nest.”

Physical reaction to bites

A doctor in Dubai said requiring hospital attention for spider bites in the UAE was extremely rare and she had not come across any cases in her practice.

"Most spider bites will have little effect on people but some species can on occasion cause a reaction due to the venom injected," said Dr Shilpa Murthy, general practitioner at Aster Clinic, Arabian Ranches.
"Bites may result in localised pain, tingling and small swelling around the bite.

“Occasionally more serious symptoms can occur but are usually an exceptional reaction of the individual to the spider’s venom," she said.

After this a weal could develop, typically taking the form of raised red, itchy and irritated skin, which could take eight weeks to heal.

She said pain and numbness at the site of the bite could be followed by sweating and nausea, lasting up to 24 hours.

If the pain did not subside by that stage, she recommended washing the bite and placing ice packs on it, before travelling to hospital.

In pictures – endangered animals in the UAE

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.