What are the symptoms of a box jellyfish sting. How quickly can a box jellyfish sting kill. What is the most effective treatment for a box jellyfish sting. How can you avoid box jellyfish encounters. What protective measures can be taken against box jellyfish stings.

Understanding the Box Jellyfish: The World’s Most Venomous Creature

The box jellyfish, despite its diminutive size, holds the title of the most venomous creature on Earth. This fascinating yet deadly marine animal has captured the attention of scientists and beachgoers alike. With the potential to cause death within minutes, understanding the box jellyfish is crucial for anyone venturing into tropical waters.

There are currently 51 identified species of box jellyfish worldwide. While their size can vary from as small as a thumbnail to having a bell the size of a basketball, all possess the ability to deliver painful and potentially lethal stings. The largest and most notorious among them is the Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri), also known as the Indo-Pacific box jellyfish or Flecker’s box jellyfish.

Unique Characteristics of Box Jellyfish

• Active swimmers capable of reaching speeds up to 4 knots
• Possess eyes that can detect rudimentary images
• Have 60 tentacles, each up to 10 feet long
• Contain approximately 5 billion nematocysts (stinging cells)

Unlike their more passive cousins, box jellyfish are active hunters. They can swim as fast as a person can walk, making them formidable predators in their marine environment. Their ability to see dark objects better than light ones is a crucial factor in their behavior and potential human encounters.

The Deadly Venom of Box Jellyfish: Composition and Effects

The venom of a box jellyfish is a complex mixture of compounds, each contributing to its lethal potency. While not fully understood, scientists have identified three primary effects of the venom on the human body:

1. Severe skin necrosis, leading to permanent scarring
2. Destruction of blood vessels
3. Intense muscle spasms, potentially causing cardiac arrest

The venom’s rapid action is what makes it particularly dangerous. Within moments of a sting, victims experience escalating pain that quickly spreads throughout the body. This swift onset of symptoms often leaves little time for effective treatment, underscoring the importance of immediate action and prevention.

How Much Venom is Lethal?

Scientists estimate that an adult human needs only 6-7 feet of tentacle contact to receive a lethal dose of venom. Considering that a single box jellyfish has approximately 60 feet of tentacles, it theoretically carries enough venom to kill 60 adults. This staggering potency highlights the critical need for awareness and caution in box jellyfish-inhabited waters.

Recognizing Box Jellyfish Sting Symptoms

Identifying a box jellyfish sting quickly can be the difference between life and death. The symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on the extent of the sting and the individual’s reaction. Here are the key symptoms to watch for:

• Immediate, intense pain at the sting site
• Visible welts or rash on the skin
• Itching and burning sensation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Muscle spasms
• Difficulty breathing
• Rapid heart rate
• Loss of consciousness

In severe cases, symptoms can progress rapidly to cardiac arrest and death within minutes of the sting. The speed at which these symptoms develop underscores the critical nature of immediate treatment and the importance of being prepared when entering known box jellyfish habitats.

Immediate First Aid for Box Jellyfish Stings

When faced with a box jellyfish sting, every second counts. Knowing the correct first aid procedures can significantly improve the victim’s chances of survival. Here’s what to do:

1. Remove the person from the water immediately
2. Call for emergency medical assistance
3. If available, pour vinegar over the sting site for at least 30 seconds to deactivate unfired nematocysts
4. Remove any visible tentacles with tweezers, being careful not to touch them with bare hands
5. Apply a cold pack to help alleviate pain
6. Be prepared to perform CPR if the person stops breathing or loses consciousness

Is vinegar truly effective for box jellyfish stings? While controversial, current research and guidelines from marine safety organizations still recommend vinegar as a first-line treatment. It may not provide pain relief, but it can prevent unfired nematocysts from releasing more venom into the victim’s body.

The Role of Antivenom

An antivenom exists for box jellyfish stings, and it can be lifesaving if administered promptly. Many lifeguard stations in box jellyfish territories carry this antivenom. However, due to the rapid action of the venom, the antivenom must be given almost immediately after the sting to be effective. This emphasizes the importance of seeking help quickly and staying near monitored beaches in high-risk areas.

Preventing Box Jellyfish Encounters: Safety Measures and Precautions

Prevention is always better than cure, especially when dealing with potentially lethal marine creatures. Here are essential precautions to take when visiting areas known for box jellyfish:

• Wear protective clothing such as full-body lycra suits or even pantyhose
• Swim only at patrolled beaches, preferably in netted swimming areas
• Avoid entering the water during box jellyfish season (typically October to May in Australia)
• Pay attention to warning signs and follow local safety guidelines
• Consider using jellyfish repellent products, although their effectiveness is not guaranteed
• Stay informed about local marine conditions and jellyfish sightings

Why is dark clothing recommended in box jellyfish waters? Box jellyfish can detect and tend to avoid dark objects in the water. Wearing dark-colored swimwear or wetsuits may reduce the likelihood of an encounter.

Box Jellyfish Habitats: Where Are You Most at Risk?

Understanding where box jellyfish are most prevalent can help travelers and locals alike take appropriate precautions. These deadly creatures are primarily found in the coastal waters of:

• Northern Australia
• The Indo-Pacific region
• Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines
• Parts of the Caribbean

In Australia, the northern coast of Queensland, particularly around Cairns and Port Douglas, is notorious for box jellyfish presence. The risk is highest during the summer months, from October to May, coinciding with the region’s wet season.

Are all tropical beaches dangerous due to box jellyfish? Not necessarily. While box jellyfish are found in many tropical and subtropical waters, their concentration and the associated risk can vary greatly depending on local conditions, seasons, and specific species present in the area.

Seasonal Variations in Box Jellyfish Presence

Box jellyfish populations often exhibit seasonal patterns, with higher concentrations during warmer months. In Australia, for example, the “stinger season” typically runs from October to May. However, it’s important to note that box jellyfish can be present year-round in some areas, and climate change may be altering their traditional patterns.

The Science Behind Box Jellyfish Venom Research

Scientific research into box jellyfish venom is ongoing and vital for developing better treatments and preventive measures. Recent studies have focused on understanding the complex composition of the venom and how it affects human physiology at a molecular level.

One area of research involves developing more effective antivenoms. Current antivenoms, while lifesaving, have limitations in terms of availability and the speed at which they must be administered. Scientists are working on creating antivenoms that can be more easily stored and transported, potentially allowing for wider distribution in at-risk areas.

Innovative Approaches to Treatment

Researchers are exploring novel treatment approaches beyond traditional antivenoms. These include:

• Developing topical treatments that can neutralize venom on the skin
• Investigating compounds that can block the venom’s effects on cardiac and nervous systems
• Exploring the potential of using box jellyfish venom components for medical applications, such as pain management

How close are we to a breakthrough in box jellyfish sting treatment? While significant progress has been made, developing new treatments is a complex and time-consuming process. However, each new discovery brings us closer to more effective ways of managing these potentially lethal stings.

Environmental Factors Affecting Box Jellyfish Populations

Understanding the environmental factors that influence box jellyfish populations is crucial for predicting and managing risks. Climate change, in particular, is having a significant impact on marine ecosystems, potentially altering the distribution and behavior of box jellyfish.

Rising ocean temperatures may be expanding the range of box jellyfish, potentially bringing them into contact with human populations in areas previously considered safe. Additionally, changes in ocean currents and chemistry could affect the jellyfish’s food sources and reproductive cycles.

Human Activities and Box Jellyfish Populations

Human activities also play a role in shaping box jellyfish habitats and populations. Factors that may influence their presence include:

• Coastal development and habitat destruction
• Pollution and runoff from land-based sources
• Overfishing, which can alter marine food webs
• Introduction of invasive species that may compete with or prey on box jellyfish

Can human interventions help control box jellyfish populations? While direct control of box jellyfish populations is challenging, managing human impacts on marine ecosystems can help maintain a natural balance. Conservation efforts and sustainable coastal management practices may play a role in mitigating risks associated with box jellyfish encounters.

Box Jellyfish in Culture and Media: Separating Fact from Fiction

Box jellyfish have captured the public imagination, often featured in documentaries, news reports, and even fictional narratives. While this attention has raised awareness about the dangers they pose, it has also led to some misconceptions and exaggerations.

Media portrayals sometimes sensationalize the threat, potentially leading to unnecessary fear or, conversely, a lack of appropriate caution. It’s important to approach information about box jellyfish with a critical eye, relying on scientific sources and official guidelines for accurate information.

Common Myths About Box Jellyfish

Several myths and misconceptions surround box jellyfish. Let’s address some of the most common:

• Myth: All jellyfish stings are equally dangerous
• Fact: While many jellyfish stings are painful, only a few species, like certain box jellyfish, pose a significant threat to human life
• Myth: Urinating on a jellyfish sting helps
• Fact: This is not recommended and can actually make the sting worse
• Myth: Box jellyfish are found in all oceans
• Fact: They are primarily found in specific tropical and subtropical regions

How can accurate information about box jellyfish be better disseminated? Education programs, particularly in high-risk areas, can play a crucial role in raising awareness and promoting safe practices. Collaboration between scientists, local authorities, and media outlets can help ensure that accurate, up-to-date information reaches the public.

The Future of Box Jellyfish Research and Management

As our understanding of box jellyfish biology and ecology grows, so does our ability to manage the risks they pose. Future research directions and management strategies may include:

• Developing more sophisticated early warning systems for jellyfish presence
• Improving protective gear for swimmers and water sports enthusiasts
• Advancing medical treatments and making them more widely available in at-risk areas
• Implementing ecosystem-based management approaches to maintain healthy marine environments

The future of box jellyfish management will likely involve a combination of technological innovation, scientific research, and community engagement. By fostering a deeper understanding of these creatures and their habitats, we can work towards coexisting safely with one of nature’s most potent predators.

Emerging Technologies in Box Jellyfish Detection

Innovative technologies are being developed to help detect and monitor box jellyfish populations. These include:

• Underwater drones equipped with cameras and sensors
• Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling techniques
• Satellite imaging and remote sensing to predict jellyfish blooms

Can technology completely eliminate the risk of box jellyfish encounters? While technology can significantly improve our ability to detect and avoid box jellyfish, it’s unlikely to eliminate all risks. Personal awareness and adherence to safety guidelines remain crucial components of prevention.

As research continues and our understanding deepens, we move closer to more effective ways of managing the risks posed by box jellyfish. This ongoing effort combines scientific inquiry, technological innovation, and public education, all aimed at ensuring safer interactions between humans and these fascinating, yet potentially deadly, marine creatures.

How to Survive a Box Jellyfish Sting (According to Science)

Believe it or not, a tiny little jellyfish takes the title for the most venomous creature on Earth! Just getting part of a tentacle on your skin is enough to kill a person within 2 minutes. We know this deadly creature as the box jellyfish. 

I hope that got your attention because if you happen to visit anywhere in tropical Australia or the Indo-pacific, you need to listen to this! It may save your life.

This is one of the few marine animals I feel it’s ok to start with a paragraph talking about how quickly it could kill you. Part of the reason for that is that far too many people die from what could be a preventable encounter. You just need to know a bit about these animals to appreciate them, avoid them, and not end up in the hospital, or worse, the grave.  

The Box Jellyfish Basics

Scientists have currently identified 51 species of box jellyfish worldwide. It’s estimated that between 50 and 100 people die a year from encounters, but that estimate may still be low. Many incidents go unreported since they occur throughout the indo-pacific in poor, remote places. 

Some box jellyfish are small, about the size of your thumbnail. Others have bells the size of a basketball – with 10 feet of tentacles trailing behind them. All have the ability to inflict painful stings and a few are well known to quickly kill a human. 

Here I’ll primarily discuss how to survive Australia’s box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri). It is the biggest and arguably deadliest. It’s commonly called the Indo-Pacific box jellyfish or Flecker’s box jellyfish. 

Unlike other jellyfish, box jellyfish actively swim and hunt for their prey! An adult can swim upwards of 4 knots in short bursts – that’s as fast as you can walk. In addition, they have eyes. They’re not exactly like ours, but they do detect rudimentary images and use them to see in all directions. They can see dark objects better than light objects and will actively avoid them in the water. This is one reason dark clothing is better than light when in box jellyfish waters.

A box jelly has clusters of 15 tentacles that attach at the four corners of the box-like medusa – that makes a total of 60 tentacles. Each tentacle can be up to 10’ long, and scientists estimate an adult man only needs about 6’ or 7’ of tentacle to touch them to provide a lethal dose of venom. That means a box jellyfish has enough venom to kill nearly 60 humans. 

Venom is injected in the same way it is with other cnidarians, such as the Portuguese man-o-war that we discussed in the previous chapter. Small cells with nematocysts will fire upon touch or chemical stimulation. In this case, there are hundreds of thousands of nematocysts that fire per sting. These hooked, dart-like syringes dispense the venom into their prey – or our skin. A box jelly is estimated to have about 5 billion nematocysts!

The venom of a box jellyfish is different from other stingers. It’s a complex concoction of different compounds, none of which are very well understood. We know it contains a multitude of compounds that, when injected together, work very effectively to immobilize and kill their victims. For humans, it acts in three main ways.

1 – It causes severe skin death. That results in permanent scarring of the skin. 

2 – It destroys blood vessels. 

3 – It produces intense muscle spasms that are so severe that muscles of the heart can’t relax  between contractions, stopping blood flow. 

Symptoms of a box jellyfish sting Include

• pain, itching, rashing, welts. 
• nausea, diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes, coma, muscle spasms, death.
• heart failure

Fortunately there is an antivenom, which many lifeguard stands within box jellyfish territory do carry. Unfortunately, the venom acts so quickly that if it’s not administered right away it may be too late.  

What the Box Jellyfish Venom Does

The venom is a component of many things. Each acts on a different part of the body. One component causes localized pain. Another component travels through veins and arteries straight to the heart. After a sting, the pain comes on quickly and continues to get more intense and widespread through the body – ratcheting up the pain with each passing moment. 

Scenarios to Avoid with Box Jellyfish

This general advice applies to all areas of the box jellyfish’s range, but is especially important in the warm, murky waters of Australia’s north-eastern coast in summer. This area is home to crocodiles and box jellyfish, so this info is a bit of a two-for-one avoidance strategy.

• First, always wear protective clothing. Any kind will do. Lycra suits or even pantyhose will reduce risk while swimming, especially in the summer months. 

• Swim only on patrolled beaches, preferably in netted swimming areas.  

• Do not run or dive into the water; walk in slowly. 

• Do not allow children to enter the water without protective clothing, nor to swim unsupervised during the summer danger season. 

• Take the trouble to be educated in the fundamentals of rescue and resuscitation from a sting by a box-jellyfish.

The Most Dangerous Box Jellyfish

The most dangerous of the 51 species of box jellyfish is the Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) which is why I’m highlighting it specifically here. Others (like Malo kingi and Carukia barnesi) may be called by the common name Irukandji jellyfish. They’re often very small (an inch or less), but they pack enough venom to kill a human. Novelist Robert Drewe described the sting as “100 times as potent as that of a cobra and 1,000 times stronger than that of a tarantula’s.”

Let’s not forget that there are types of box jellyfish all over the world. The Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, for instance, have a species that is capable of killing a human as well.

How to Survive a Box Jellyfish Sting? 

• Immediately get out the water, before you possibly lose the ability to swim and drown.
• Pick off the tentacle if it’s still on the body. Make sure not to touch it with bare hands – use gloves or utilize a piece of clothing or a towel. 
• Rinse with vinegar if it’s available. Do so generously. While there is still some debate whether or not this is helpful, it’s not harmful. 
• Get immediate medical attention. If anti-venom is available, it can be given to counteract the effects of the venom. 

There are some important things not to do too.

• Don’t pee on the sting or tentacles.
• Don’t rub the area that is stinging.
• Don’t put baking soda on the sting.

All of these actions are likely to cause more nematocysts to fire – increasing your dose of venom.

Prefer to Listen?

If you’d rather listen to this article about box jellyfish stings and safety, I recorded this for you.

Videos about Box Jellyfish

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Jellyfish Stings | Doctors Urgent Care

Jellyfish stings are common in Florida and may or may not need medical attention. Jellyfish stings are a common problem for people swimming, wading, or diving in seawaters. The long tentacles trailing from the Jellyfish body can inject you with venom using thousands of microscopic barbed stingers. Jellyfish stings vary greatly in severity. Most often they result in an immediate stinging pain with redness, leaving irritated marks on the skin. Some Jellyfish stings may cause more whole-body (systemic) illness which is life threatening such as a Box Jellyfish. These Jellyfish stings are life-threatening. But the vast majority of stings are minor.
How do I know I’ve been stung?

You may not see the Jellyfish itself so common signs and symptoms of Jellyfish stings include:

• Burning, prickling, stinging pain
• Stomach pain, nausea and vomiting
• Red, brown or purplish tracks on the skin
• Headache, confusion (in severe cases)
• a “print” of the tentacles’ contact with your skin
• Muscle pain or spasms
• Itching – weakness, drowsiness, fainting (in severe cases)
• Swelling – Difficulty breathing (in most severe cases)
• Throbbing pain that radiates up a leg or an arm

Treatment: Most Jellyfish stings get better with home treatment. Severe reactions require emergency medical care, call 911.

The best treatment for you depends on the type of Jellyfish that stung you. In general, most stings can be treated easily by rinsing the area with salt water to remove tentacles to prevent further release of venom and then immersing the affected area in hot water. Excess rubbing of the skin will fire more Jellyfish venom into you from the barbs embedded in your skin. Applying undiluted vinegar has been scientifically proven to deactivate the toxin in the barbs. If you are lucky enough to have some at the beach use this first. Then you may pluck out the barbs with tweezers or get a product called “Sting No More” which contains Vinegar and highly concentrated Urea. The Vinegar deactivates the barbs and the Urea help them wash off. The Urea in human urine is of too low a concentration to work on Jellyfish Stings.

AVOID- These remedies are unhelpful and may cause you discomfort

• Rinsing with human urine
• Excess rubbing
• Rinsing with fresh water
• Applying meat tenderizer
• Applying alcohol, ethanol, or ammonia
• Pressure bandages

How can I prevent being stung by a jellyfish in Florida? There are a couple of ways you can protect yourself from a Jellyfish sting. These include, wearing a protective suit, talking with lifeguards and monitoring their flags and warning before swimming or diving in coastal waters, especially in areas where Jellyfish are common. There are products, commonly mixed with sunblock that are advertised to help prevent Jellyfish and other stings, but their benefit is unclear. Avoid entering the water during Jellyfish season.

Being stung by a Jellyfish is normally not life threatening but if you experience severe symptoms seek medical care immediately.

See our Physicians and P.A.s at Doctors Urgent Care for the highest quality medical evaluation and treatment. We are familiar with and treat jelly fish stings.

David B. Dean, MD

Medical Director

Doctors Urgent Care

All about jellyfish stings – Curious

If you’ve ever been swimming at a beach in Australia you’ve most likely heard of the dangers of jellyfish stings. Maybe you have even had the unpleasant experience of being stung by the seemingly innocuous, tentacled, translucent invertebrate yourself.

You know it hurts. But how much do you know about Australia’s most dangerous marine stingers? 

It turns out even jellyfish experts have much to learn.

What happens when a jellyfish stings you?

Jellyfish have thousands of stinging cells on their tentacles, which each house a specialised structure called a nematocyst. A sting—which is designed to immobilise prey—occurs when nematocysts fire harpoon-like barbs into the victim. This happens when hair triggers on the tentacles brush against a potential predator or prey—or your leg—triggering the barbs to propel into the victim. It’s a clever and effective mechanism for injecting their venom!

The firing sequence of the jellyfish nematocyst cells is shown from left to right. Once triggered, the barb is released from the cellular capsule, stinging the prey/predator. Image adapted from: Alison; CC0

The barb releases toxins, which generally create painful localised reactions in humans. These can also affect various systems within the body such as the cardiovascular and respiratory systems—and may result in fatalities in some cases. The levels and chemical composition of the toxins within each barb, as well as the number of nematocysts fired, results in variation and degree of severity of symptoms.

Species and stings of greatest concern in Australian tropical waters include the major box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri), bluebottles (Physalia spp.), and a group known as Irukandji jellyfish that can cause serious reactions in humans. The effects of Irukandji stings externally appear similar to anaphylaxis, but are systematically more like an amphetamine overdose. It pays to be aware of the various types of jellyfish and their stings, as differing treatments are required.

A sting—which is designed to immobilise prey—occurs when nematocysts fire harpoon-like barbs into the victim.

Irukandji syndrome presents as nausea, vomiting, back pain and powerful stomach cramps, among other symptoms, including a ‘feeling of impending doom’. It can cause high blood pressure (hypertension) and injury to the heart that may result in heart failure. Currently, there are around 20 species of jellyfish thought to cause Irukandji syndrome in humans. These reactions to jellyfish stings have typically been encountered in tropical Australia, but may happen all over the world, including sub-tropical and temperate regions.

However, not all jellyfish species causing Irukandji syndrome have been named and classified. There is a rare, but potentially deadly stinger which in appearance is very similar to a bluebottle but causes much more devastating reactions. Due to the lack of awareness and understanding of this species, it may often be mistaken for a bluebottle sting. The unnamed species is about the size of a hand, which is considerably larger than the common bluebottle and has multiple tentacles, whereas the common bluebottles have just one. This jellyfish has been reported in blooms off the coast of Australia only every 10 to 30 years. It is so rare that scientists have had little opportunity to observe and classify the mystery species.

A mystery of the ocean. Little is known about this rare type of bluebottle that has multiple tentacles and is larger than the common bluebottle—with a much more dangerous sting. Image adapted from: Image adapted from Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin; used with permission

What do you do in the case of a jellyfish sting?

While treatments differ depending on the species of stinger (and the locations they are most likely to inhabit), the main elements to act on to treat a jellyfish sting are:

• detaching the tentacles or rinsing away the nematocysts
• neutralising venom effects
• relieving symptoms, including pain.

Everywhere but the tropics the priority is pain relief: washing the affected area with seawater is recommended for helping to remove the tentacles and microscopic nematocysts without releasing further toxins. Washing with freshwater stimulates the remaining nematocysts to discharge, thus injecting more toxins into the victim. Always avoid rubbing the area of a sting.

If there are a lot of bluebottles washed up on the beach or there are blue tentacles present on the skin, it is most likely a bluebottle sting. The pain is instant and sharp. Remove the tentacles using tweezers or (covered) fingers, and rinse the area with seawater. Apply hot water if available to the sting site—this is most easily done by having a hot shower or bath. If hot water doesn’t relieve the pain or isn’t an available option, an ice pack can be used. Seek medical assistance immediately if the victim experiences systemic symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, lower back pain or sweating (these are all Irukandji symptoms, suggesting it might not actually be a common bluebottle sting).

This bluebottle jellyfish has been found washed up on a shore. Jellyfish from nearby waters can be found on beaches following strong winds and currents. Image adapted from: Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin; used with permission

In the tropics, where the stingers are potentially lethal, the focus is on preservation of life. If for any reason you think it could be a box jellyfish or Irukandji sting, or you are not sure of the origin of the sting, douse the affected area with vinegar for at least 30 seconds. This will usually neutralise any microscopic nematocysts that may remain. Seek medical help immediately and note any reactions within the hour following the sting. Perform CPR if necessary.

There is still much to learn about the many classified and unclassified jellyfish species in Australian and other waters. The more understanding we have, the better we will become at treating and preventing these potentially deadly, and just downright painful, stings. As we develop our knowledge we can make better predictions about where they’ll be and when to watch out for them and can have the remedies for treatment prepared and ready for the inevitable marine stings that people experience on our coast each summer.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for up-to-date professional medical advice. For the latest first aid recommendations, consult the Australian Resuscitation Council (see Guideline 9.4.5).

This article was writtern by Olivia Congdon, Communications Officer, Australian Academy of Science, and has been reviewed by the following experts: Professor Geoff Isbister Director, Clinical Toxicology Research Group, University of Newcastle; Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin Director, Australian Marine Stinger Advisory Services

Molecular dissection of box jellyfish venom cytotoxicity highlights an effective venom antidote

Materials

Ac-DEVD-CHO was purchased from Selleck Chemicals. ATP2B1 antibody (#ab3528) was purchased from Abcam. Necrosulfonamide (NSA) and SGMS1 antibodies (#ABC732) were purchased from Merck Millipore. β-actin antibody (#4970) was purchased from Cell Signaling Technology, Inc. α-hemolysin, BAPTA-AM, Chloroquine, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), EDTA, methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) venom (SN), sphingomyelinase and streptolysin O (SLO) were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. Caloxin 1B3 (TIPKWISIIQALRGGGSK-amide) and 2A1 peptide (VSNSNWPSFPSSGGG-amide) was prepared by custom synthesis from Mimotopes.

C. fleckeri venom preparation

C. fleckeri were collected from coastal waters near Darwin Harbour (Northern Territory, Australia). Nematocysts were extracted from excised jellyfish tentacles⁵². The box jellyfish venom was extracted from purified nematocysts, through a process of repeatedly exposing the nematocysts to 0.5 mm glass beads in a bead beater, followed by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 1 min⁵³. The suspended venom was aspirated, then lyophilised and stored at −80 °C.

Cell culture

Human HAP1 cells were generously provided by Dr. Thijn R. Brummelkamp⁵⁴. HeLa cells were gift from Dr. Adam R. Cole, Garvan Institute. HAP1 and HeLa cells were cultured in Medium IMDM (Sigma-Aldrich) and DMEM (Sigma-Aldrich), respectively, containing 10% bovine calf serum (BCS; Hyclone Laboratories), 1x GlutaMAX, 100U/ml penicillin G and 100 g/ml streptomycin (Thermo Fisher Scientific) in a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO₂–95% air at 37 °C and were tested for the absence of mycoplasma contamination.

Mice

All mice in this study were male FVB/NJ mice aged 10–15 weeks obtained from the Animal Resource Centre, WA, Australia. All experiments were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee at the University of Sydney under protocol 1196. Mice were housed in a specific pathogen-free facility on a 12-hour light–dark cycle and standard chow, water and enrichment were provided ad libitum. All in vivo behavioural assays were performed blind to treatment by a single male investigator. Assignment to treatment groups was performed randomly by an investigator blind to the behaviour and health status of the animals.

Cell viability assay

Trypsinised cells (3 × 10⁴) were seeded in each well of a 96-well plate. After 24 h, various concentrations of jellyfish venom were added, and the cells were incubated for an additional 24 h. After incubation, the medium was aspirated from each well and add 150 μl of fresh medium containing a 0.002% solution of resazurin (Sigma-Aldrich) was added to the wells and incubated for 4 h at 37 °C. The absorbance was measured at 570 nm using a microplate spectrophotometer (FLUOstar Omega, BMG Labtech).

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in supernatants of cells was assessed according to the protocol of the manufacturer (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Cell death was also determined by intracellular ATP levels using CellTiter-Glo Luminescent Cell Viability Assay (Promega) following the manufacturer’s protocols.

Haemolysis

Mouse red blood cell (RBC) lysis was measured as described⁴⁷ with modification. Blood was collected by terminal cardiac puncture under isoflurane anaesthesia (2–3%) in MiniCollect EDTA coated tubes (Greiner-Bio-One). Collected blood was washed four times in sterile PBS and recovered by centrifugation at 500 × g for 5 min at 4 °C. Diluted RBC (0.5% in PBS) were treated in triplicate in a 96-well plate and incubate for 1 h at 37 °C. Triplicates of 1% Triton X-100 and PBS alone were used as positive and negative control, respectively. Samples were centrifuged for 5 min at 500 × g to pellet intact RBC, and supernatants were transferred to another 96-well plate. The absorbance of released haemoglobin was measured at 540 nm using a microplate spectrophotometer.

Intracellular calcium measurement

A Fluo-8 Calcium Flux Assay kit (Abcam) was used to measure intracellular calcium influx on a FLUOstar Omega microplate reader following the manufacturer’s protocols. Briefly, trypsinised HAP1 cells (3 × 10⁴) were seeded in each well of a 96-well plate. After 24 h, plates were washed twice in Ca²⁺-free HBSS supplemented with HEPES buffer (pH 7.2), and then the growth medium was replaced with 100 μl/well of the Fluo-8 dye solution. The plate was incubated at 37 °C for 30 min and then for another 30 min in the dark at room temperature. The loaded cells were then placed in the measurement position in the microplate reader. Changes in fluorescence from the Fluo-8 dye quantify changes in intracellular Ca²⁺ concentrations (excitation/emission 490/525 nm) after treatment with box jellyfish venom. Ca²⁺ influx was measured up to 45 min.

Lentivirus production

To generate lentivirus, the human lentiCRISPRv2 plasmid library (Addgene 1000000048) was co-transfected with packaging plasmids pCAG-VSVG and psPAX2 (Addgene plasmids 35616 and 12260, respectively). Briefly, a T-75 flask of 80% confluent 293LTV cells (Cell Biolabs) was transfected in OptiMEM (Thermo Fisher Scientific) using 8 μg of the lentiCRISPRv2 plasmid library, 4 μg pCAG-VSVG, 8 μg psPAX2, 2. 5 μg pAdVantage (Promega), 30 μl of P3000 Reagent (Thermo Fisher Scientific), and 30 μl of Lipofectamine 3000 (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Cells were incubated overnight and then media was changed to DMEM (Sigma-Aldrich) with 10% BCS and 1x GlutaMAX (Thermo Fisher Scientific). After 48 h, viral supernatants were collected and centrifuged at 2000 rpm for 10 min to get rid of cell debris. The supernatant was filtered through a 0.45μm ultra-low protein binding filter (Merck Millipore). Aliquots were stored at −80 °C.

Cell transduction using the GeCKO v2 library

HAP1 cells were transduced with the GeCKO v2 library by spinfection. Briefly, 2 × 10⁶ cells per well were plated into a 12-well plate in IMDM media supplemented with 10% BCS and 8 μg/ml polybrene (Sigma-Aldrich). A titrated virus was added in each well along with a no-transduction control. The plate was centrifuged at 2000 rpm for 1 h at 37 °C. After the spin, cells were incubated overnight and then enzymatically detached using TrypLE^TM Express (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Cells were counted and each well was split into duplicate wells. One replicate treated with 1 μg/ml puromycin (Thermo Fisher Scientific) for 3 days. Percent transduction was determined as cell count from the replicate with puromycin divided by cell count from the replicate without puromycin multiplied by 100. The virus volume yielding a MOI (multiplicity of infection) approximately to 0.4 was used for large-scale screening.

HAP1 jellyfish venom resistance screen

1 × 10⁸ HAP1 cells were transduced as described above using 12-well plates with 2 × 10⁶ cells per well. Puromycin was added to the cells 24 h post transduction and maintained for 7 days. Cells were pooled together into larger flasks after 3 days incubation of puromycin. On day 7, cells were split into treatment conditions in duplicate with a minimum of 2.5 × 10⁷ cells per replicate. Two replicates were cultured in IMDM supplemented with 1 μg/ml jellyfish venom, and one replicate was culture in regular IMDM media. Replicates were either passaged or fresh media was added every 2–3 days. In parallel, untransduced HAP1 cells were treated with 1 μg/ml jellyfish venom to ensure the venom was cytotoxic in each case. Cells were harvested after 14 days of the treatment for genomic DNA analysis.

Genomic DNA sequencing

Genomic DNA (gDNA) extracted from harvested cells with a Blood & Cell Culture Midi kit (Qiagen) was used for PCR reactions as described previously²⁰. Primers used to amplify lentiCRISPR v2 sgRNAs for the first PCR are: sense, 5′-AAT GGA CTA TCA TAT GCT TAC CGT AAC TTG AAA GTA TTT CG-3′ and antisense, 5′-TCT ACT ATT CTT TCC CCT GCA CTG TTG TGG GCG ATG TGC GCT CTG-3′.

A second PCR was performed to attach Illumina adaptors and to barcode samples. The second PCR was done in a 100 μl reaction volume using 5 μl of the first PCR product. Primers for the second PCR include both a variable length sequence to increase library complexity and an 6 bp barcode for multiplexing of different biological samples: sense, 5′-AAT GAT ACG GCG ACC ACC GAG ATC TAC ACT CTT TCC CTA CAC GAC GCT CTT CCG ATC T (1–9 bp variable length sequence) (6 bp barcode) tct tgt gga aag gac gaa aca ccg-3′ and antisense, 5′-CAA GCA GAA GAC GGC ATA CGA GAT AAG TAG AGG TGA CTG GAG TTC AGA CGT GTG CTC TTC CGA TCT tct act att ctt tcc cct gca ctg t-3′.

Amplification was carried out with 18 cycles for the first PCR and 24 cycles for the second PCR. PCR products from the second PCR were gel extracted, quantified, mixed and sequenced using a HiSeq 2500 (Illumina). The sgRNA sequences against specific genes were recovered after removal of the tag sequences using the Checkout [http://100bp.wordpress.com] and cutadapt (ver. 1.12).

Enrichment of sgRNAs and genes were analysed using MAGeCK⁵⁵ (Ver.0.5.6) by comparing read counts from cells after jellyfish venom selection with counts from matching unselected cell population to obtain a p-value. P < 0.01 was considered statistically significant.

Gene validation

To validate the candidate genes from screening, sgRNAs from the parent library were cloned into pLentiCRISPRv2 (Addgene plasmid 52961). The control sgRNA was used from the parent library. Lentiviruses were produced as described above and transduced HAP1 or HeLa cells were selected with 1 μg/ml puromycin 24 h post-infection. Two weeks later, puromycin was removed, and cells were allowed to recover for three additional days before analysis. Gene disruption efficiency was verified by western blot. The sequences of the sgRNAs used are in Table S4.

Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis

GO terms and REACTOME pathways enriched in the screen were analysed using the ConsensusPathDB⁵⁶. The GO level 3–5 categories and a p-value cut-off of 0.05 were selected. The minimum overlap with the input list for pathway analysis was set at two proteins, with p < 0.05.

Western blot analysis

Cells were harvested in lysis buffer [50 mM Tris (pH 7.5), 150 mM NaCl, 1% NP40, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate, 1 mM EDTA, and 0.1% SDS] containing protease inhibitor cocktail (Sigma-Aldrich), and the protein concentrations were determined using the BCA Protein Assay (Thermo Fisher Scientific). The proteins (20 µg) were electrophoresed on 10% SDS-polyacrylamide gels, transferred to PVDF membranes (Amersham Bioscience), and incubated with specific primary antibodies (1:1000 for all primary antibodies) at 4 °C overnight. After washing, the membranes were incubated with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibodies (1:5000; #31460 from Thermo Fisher Scientific) for 1 h and were then visualised with enhanced chemiluminescent substrate (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Uncropped images are shown in Supplementary Fig 5.

Injections

250 ug of Jellyfish venom in 30 μl normal saline (0.9%, Pfizer) alone or in the presence of 20 ul HPβCD (50% W/V) was injected under isoflurane anaesthesia (2–3% mixed with 0.8 to 1 L O₂, IsoFlo Zoetis) into the mouse footpad. Rapid recovery from anaesthesia was achieved with high flow O₂.

Spontaneous pain behaviour

Following recovery, mice were placed into plexiglass boxes on a raised clear plexiglass table. Mouse behaviour was recorded from below using a video camera (Panasonic). The first five minutes of video were analysed for flinching behaviour (manually with the assistance of custom behaviour enumeration software) which was the dominant immediate pain behaviour.

Von Frey mechanical allodynia assay

Mice were habituated and tested with 10 probes of ascending filaments (Semmes Weinstein Filaments, North Coast Medical 0.04–2.0 g) on each hind paw in the sural territory. Mouse von Frey thresholds were established on 2 separate days for baseline readings and is defined as the stimulus eliciting reactions in 50% of probes. Mice were tested 1 day following injection of Jellyfish venom into the foot pad.

Necrosis

Necrosis was assessed 3 days following the injection of the venom. Photographs were taken of the mice hind paw and all photographs were scored blind. Necrosis was scored by 3 independent blinded investigators semi-quantitatively from pictures taken at euthanasia (either 3 days following injection or if an ethical endpoint was met). The score for each mouse is an average of the scores of each investigator. The scoring system used was:

0) No evidence of necrosis

1) Mild limited but limited to part of one digit or small portion of paw

2) Mild affecting Multiple digits or affecting paw and digit or entire digit

3) Moderate to severe affecting Multiple digits and paw and/or Autotomy (any loss of a digit)

Swelling

Calipers were used twice daily to assess swelling, swelling scores are from just prior to euthanasia. The measurement was of the largest dorsoventral width.

Histology

Foot pads were dissected and fixed in paraformaldehyde 4% (Sigma) for 24 h then cryoprotected in 30% sucrose and flash frozen embedded in OCT (VWR) in Liquid nitrogen. The resultant tissue was then sectioned on a cryostat at 8–12 µm (Thermo Fisher). For Hoecst staining, tissue was washed in PBS, blocked in 2% BSA, 0.1% Triton X-100, washed and stained using Hoecst (Thermo Fisher 1:2000). Following this, tissue section was imaged at 40X using a Leica DM6000 upright microscope. For Haematoxylin and Eosin staining, PFA fixed frozen Sections were washed in water thoroughly to remove all OCT. The sections were immersed into Harris Haematoxylin for 30–40 s and washed in tap water until clear. The Haematoxylin was blued using Scott’s Bluing solution and washed in tap water. The slides were immersed into ethanol then eosin. Finally, slides were dehydrated into 95% ethanol and 100% ethanol. The slides were dried then cleared into citrasol and cover-slipped using Xylene/citrasol and dried overnight and imaged using a DM6000 upright Leica microscope.

Data analysis

Statistical analysis performed was specified in figure legends. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Box jellyfish antidote: Potential way to treat sting of world’s most venomous sea creature

The jellyfish has about 60 tentacles that can grow up to 3 meters (almost 10 feet). They live mainly in coastal waters around the north and west of Australia and the Philippines, according to the university’s press release.

Each tentacle has millions of microscopic hooks filled with venom, and the jellyfish carries enough venom to kill more than 60 humans, the university said. Associate Professor Greg Neely, one of the study’s authors, said no other animal carries that amount of venom.

The venom can cause tissue necrosis, extreme pain, cardiac arrest and death within minutes after severe exposure. If it doesn’t kill, the venom can cause excruciating pain.

“We studied the biggest, most venomous and scary one,” Neely said in a news release. “Our drug works on the big beast. We don’t know yet if it works on other jellyfish, but we know it works on the most-deadly one.”

Researchers found that the venom does most of its damage to the skin when it interacts with cholesterol, and that drugs that already exist to eliminate cholesterol also can work as antidotes for box jellyfish venom if it is administered within 15 minutes of the sting.

Researchers used specific types of cyclodextrins, a family of drugs that absorb cholesterol, to block the venom, Neely said.

“It turns out by blocking the venom’s ability to kill the cells, we can also block some of the pain,” Neely, an associate professor at the University of Sydney who studies diseases and pain, told CNN.

The antidote was first tested on human cells outside the body and on live mice, according to the university. Researchers hope to develop a topical application for humans.

However, it’s unclear if the antidote will be effective for severe stings.

“We don’t know yet if it will stop a heart attack. That will need more research and we are applying for funding to continue this work,” Neely said.

In a piece he wrote for The Conversation, Neely said researchers are also looking to develop a treatment for cardiac injection.

Neely told CNN he’s particularly excited about the potential for using CRISPR to study other types of venom.

“This is kind of the first time (CRISPR) has been used for venom,” he said.

“There’s just an unlimited amount of cool work we could do.”

It’s unclear exactly how often people are killed by box jellyfish stings. Experts advise victims to pour vinegar on the wound for at least 30 seconds.The Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) is considered the world’s most venomous marine animal, according to the US National Ocean Service.

The jellyfish don’t just float, they can actively swim, gaining speed of 7.5 kilometres an hour (4.66 miles an hour) when they are hunting, the university said. They feed in shallow waters, mainly small fish and prawns.

Correction: A previous version of this story included an incorrect rate of miles per hour for how fast jellyfish swim.

Fact or Fiction?: Urinating on a Jellyfish Sting is an Effective Treatment

Back in 1997 all the friends from that eponymous television show trekked to the beach, only to witness a jellyfish sting Monica. In this episode, Joey remembered seeing a documentary that advised urinating on the sting to ease the pain. Monica agreed to try the treatment and it worked. Unfortunately, in the real world treating a jellyfish sting by urinating on it may actually cause someone in Monica’s situation even more pain, rather than relief. Urine can actually aggravate the jellyfish’s stingers into releasing more venom. This cure is, indeed, fiction.

Jellyfish, those bulbous Medusa-like creatures, float near many of the world’s beaches. Some of the jellyfish’s skin cells are stinging cells, or cnidocytes. These specialized cells have organelles called nematocysts that contain venom. Cnidocytes are spread along the entire length of the jellyfish’s tentacles.

These tentacles can be so long that swimmers might not see the jellyfish that stings them, but they will certainly feel it. “The pain is instant,” says Joseph Burnett, a dermatologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center, who is part of the school’s Consortium of Jellyfish Stings, which tracks jellyfish injuries worldwide. Once stung, angry, red, whiplike lash marks mar the skin. The pain radiates from the sting site and starts to itch, burn and throb as it blisters. Scratching it, though, can make the pain worse, because rubbing activates the nematocysts, which release more venom.

Jellyfish stings are painful, but they are rarely life-threatening. For most such injuries, in North America at least, the pain will not last longer than 24 hours, typically peaking five minutes after the sting occurs then dissipating over the next few hours. “[But] it depends on what jellyfish gets you,” notes Christopher Holstege, a toxicologist and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Virginia.

Those 24 hours, though, could be uncomfortable without any treatment, which can be administered on the beach. Both Burnett and Holstege recommend washing the area with saltwater. Such rinsing will deactivate those pesky nematocysts that are still hanging on.

A freshwater rinse will have the opposite effect. Any change to the balance of solutes, such as the concentration of salts inside and outside of the cnidocyte, sets off stinging. Adding freshwater to the sting site dilutes the salts outside the cell, unbalancing the solutes. In reaction to this change, the nematocysts in the cells release more venom–and cause more pain.

But what about urine? It contains salts and electrolytes. “I can think of many other things I’d rather have on me,” Holstege notes. The concentration of salts and other compounds people have in their urine changes, he explains. If it is too dilute it will be similar to freshwater and cause those stingers to fire.

Other liquids and compounds, however, can help. Most stings in North American waters can be assuaged by vinegar, or 5 percent acetic acid. For stings from a few species, Cyanea capillata and Chysaora quinquecirrha, a baking soda and seawater paste is even better.

Once rinsing deactivates all the nasty nematocysts, the attached bits of tentacle can be removed by coating them with shaving cream or a slurry of seawater and sand followed by shaving with a razor or even a credit card.

For pain, an oral analgesic should do the trick for North American jellyfish stings. Australia, though, has nastier jellyfish (such as the deadly Box Jellyfish) and most Australian lifeguard teams are equipped with morphine and antivenoms to treat unlucky swimmers Down Under.

Ultimately, time, not urine, is the best treatment for a jellyfish sting. “Urine is worthless,” Burnett says.

Jellyfish and other sea creature stings

Most stings from sea creatures in the UK are not serious and can be treated with first aid. Sometimes you may need to go to hospital.

What to do if you’ve been stung

Get help if possible

Ask a lifeguard or someone with first aid training for help.

If help is not available:

Do

• rinse the affected area with seawater (not fresh water)

• remove any spines from the skin using tweezers or the edge of a bank card

• soak the area in very warm water (as hot as can be tolerated) for at least 30 minutes – use hot flannels or towels if you cannot soak it

• take painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen

Don’t

• do not use vinegar

• do not pee on the sting

• do not apply ice or a cold pack

• do not touch any spines with your bare hands

• do not cover or close the wound

Non-urgent advice: Go to a minor injuries unit if you have:

• severe pain that is not going away
• been stung on your face or genitals
• been stung by a stingray

Find your nearest minor injuries unit

Symptoms of sea creature stings

The main symptoms of sea creature stings are intense pain where you’re stung and an itchy rash.

Jellyfish and Portuguese man-of-war stings can also cause raised circular areas on the skin (welts).

How to avoid being stung

Do

• look out for beach warning signs

• consider wearing a wetsuit when swimming in the sea, particularly during the spring and summer

• wear waterproof shoes or sandals when walking in shallow water or rocky areas

• scuff or stamp your feet when walking in shallow water to make sea creatures aware you’re approaching

UK sea creatures that sting

Jellyfish.

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Watch out for jellyfish on the beach.

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Portuguese man-of-war.

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Weever fish.

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Sea urchins.

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Stingrays.

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Page last reviewed: 16 June 2021
Next review due: 16 June 2024

90,000 Why Thrifty Australians Swim in Tights

Ordinary life in Australia, when not pigeons, but parrots are circling the city streets, and a new exotic friend is waiting for you in your own bathroom, may seem surreal to tourists, and the locals themselves are fearless madmen. Life in Australia is truly extraordinary. For example, the models in advertisements for Wolford or Saint Laurent, floating in tights, will seem to someone just another madness of marketers, designed solely to intrigue potential buyers and attract their attention.But on the beaches of Queensland, the described picture is a typical sight: vacationers everywhere swim in tights in the literal sense: one pair is put on in the usual way – on their feet, and the second, having cut a hole for the head – on their hands. In this way, Australians save on the purchase of Stinger Suit (Stinger Suite) – special swimwear made of nylon.

The coast of Queensland, especially located in the northern part of the mainland, may seem like a real tropical paradise to a naive tourist, and he will be perplexed: why, instead of complete unity with nature, swimmers dress up in stingersuits or pull on tights?

The serene transparency of the ocean waters in these places is deceiving: the fast box jellyfish or box jellyfish, which are indistinguishable to the human eye, prefer to live just near Queensland.It is only in the laboratory that ultraviolet rays help to see the box jellyfis.

Photo: social networks

Who has not met with jellyfish while relaxing on the coast of the warm Black Sea? A burn on the skin goes away in the worst case in a day or two, leaving only unpleasant memories. But in Australia, even jellyfish are highly lethal. For example, the poison of just one box jellyfish is enough to instantly send 60 people to another world. A single bite will cause excruciating pain and skin necrosis, and if the dose is large enough, cardiac arrest and death will follow within minutes.Only 3 months ago, in May, it was announced that the antidote for “the most poisonous creature in the world” had been found. Researchers at the University of Sydney have discovered a “molecular antidote” that blocks the symptoms of a jellyfish sting when applied to the skin for 15 minutes. Scientists believe the drug will completely stop necrosis, scarring and pain, but further research is needed to see if it will stop a heart attack.

Nets are being pulled along the beaches of northern Queensland to make it difficult for jellyfish to reach feeding places – in shallow water, and possible encounter with humans.Despite this, there are fatal cases almost every year. Therefore, vacationers are forced to take care of their additional safety on their own. How? Wearing pantyhose or funny protective stinger suits! There is even a specific tradition to arrange something like carnival processions in multi-colored stinger suits.

Photo: social networks

Medusa activates its gadgets only when the receptor cells detect the proximity of a living organism. Studies of the behavior of this creature have made it possible to establish that contact with nylon fabric is not perceived as a signal of danger or the appearance of food, therefore, the gadgets remain unused.Based on these data, special swimwear made from thin nylon jersey were invented, called the Stinger Suit.

Many jellyfish live in the oceans of our planet. The most dangerous are Chironex fleckeri (box jellyfish) and Carukia barnesi (irukandji). Relatives of the box jellyfish inhabit the waters of Southeast Asia and throughout the South China Sea, all the way to northern Japan. Chirosalmus quadrigatus and Carybdea are found in the waters of Southeast Asia, including the entire East Indies and the Gulf of Thailand.Tourists to the Mediterranean suffer annually from the Pelagia noctilca jellyfish, known as the “Ballerina”. It won’t kill you, but you can spend time in the hospital because of the bite. On the east coast of the United States, the Sea Nettle and Lion’s Mane can be found that will not bite you pleasantly. Hawaii is famous for its Carybdea alata, the stinging jellyfish, a relative of the box jellyfish. Stinging jellyfish species can be found almost everywhere from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Therefore, since 2003, stinger suits have been successfully sold in 15 countries around the world.

The

Stinger Suit was designed in Australia to protect swimmers and water sports enthusiasts from two of the world’s most dangerous jellyfish: the box jellyfish and the irukandji. The Stinger Suit is the only one that has been field tested by James Cook University in Australia, Timor Leste and Hawaii.

Photo: social networks

Stinger Suit is a mesh of three fibers: nylon, elastane and a special fiber that has a slippery surface to prevent the jellyfish tentacles from sticking to the fabric.The Stinger Suit is lightweight (less than 200g), durable and does not overheat the body, making it ideal for tropical waters. The Stinger Suit fabric is woven into a tough mesh, unlike conventional hosiery, which has the ability to shoot arrows. The manufacturer calls the Stinger Suit “ideal protection for all water sports enthusiasts such as swimming, water skiing, sailing, jet skiing, rowing and kiteboarding.”

Photo: social networks

The cost of the stinger suit is $ 55.Not everyone can afford to buy, and therefore thrifty Australians and tourists prefer to do with ordinary tights, leggings and nylon turtlenecks.

Photo: social networks

But for women of fashion, colorful stinger kosotyums are an additional opportunity to attract attention, and therefore every year new bright options appear as an alternative to the original black translucent “stingers”.

Photo: social networks

Are you planning a vacation on the ocean coast of Queensland? Don’t forget to stock up on at least tights!

Photo: social networks

When worn, stockings look good with a tight skirt, on a high chair or in a deep armchair.It is better to put the removed stockings in the bathroom, in the laundry basket.

– Irina Pribora

90,000 Thousands of people were stung during the jellyfish invasion

Authorities said on Monday that highly venomous jellyfish stung more than three thousand people on Australia’s northeast coast in just a few days, resulting in the closure of several beaches.

The massive influx of Portuguese military jellyfish, known to be very painful, has been described by local media as an “invasion” of Queensland.

The Coast Guard Association Surf Life Saving reported that a “whopping” 3,595 people suffered painful burns from collisions with creatures also known as bluebottles due to their translucent bluish tinge.

At least four main beaches remained closed as the organization warned that more jellyfish were on the way.

“A wall of blue bottles is approaching the #Rainbow beach. Lifeguards are closing the beach. Please stay out of the water. ”Read one of several Surf Life Saving warnings.

Blue bottle bites are common and howls of pain can often be heard from locker rooms along Australia’s eastern beaches in the southern hemisphere during summer.

But the sheer number of people hurt in the past few days surprised the authorities.

According to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, approximately 10,000 cases of blue bottle bites occur annually on the east coast of Australia.

An extraordinary number of bites have occurred in the past few days as strong winds from the shore were blowing from the northeast, causing the creatures to come in contact with the swimmers.

The medical team describes the symptoms of the bite as “immediate acute pain and acute inflammatory skin reaction.”

“Severe skin pain can last from several minutes to many hours … The bite can also cause systemic symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and general malaise.”

Treatment includes rinsing the wound with water at 45 degrees Celsius or using ice packs.

However, it is much more difficult to treat the bites of the formidable variety of Irukandji jellyfish.

Bites from these box jellyfish, which may be smaller than a nail, can cause severe muscle pain, severe vomiting, a sense of “impending doom,” standing on end, strokes, heart failure, and death within minutes.

State broadcaster ABC reported that the number of people admitted to hospital with Irukandji bites in Queensland this season is already 20, double the usual annual rate.

90,000 jellyfish invasion in thailand rainy season jellyfish bite fatal

The invasion of jellyfish in Thailand occurs every year during the rainy season and every time it is a natural disaster that terrifies tourists.

Krabi.
September – October 2017.
Another invasion of jellyfish in Thailand.
The so-called “Flaming Jellyfish” have reached the fabulous beaches of Krabi and the Phi Phi Islands.
Employees of the marine park in the Krabi region discovered a huge number of fiery jellyfish, most of them on the beach of Ko Hun island, between Krabi and Ko Yao Noi islands, not far from the popular Phi-Phi islands.

Flame jellyfish in Thailand

The unexpected appearance of “fiery jellyfish” in the Krabi region is associated with a sharp change in wind direction and strong waves drive jellyfish to the coast, throwing them on the beaches of the islands and the coast of Krabi.
Employees of the marine reserve quickly enough collect “fiery” jellyfish from the sea and the coastal beach area, so that vacationers and tourists would not suffer.
The bite of these jellyfish causes an unpleasant burning sensation. To relieve pain, it is recommended to rinse the bite site with vinegar.
However, allergy sufferers should contact a doctor immediately upon contact with jellyfish.

Most likely within 10 days, the sea will become calmer, the waves will subside and jellyfish will not appear near the beach, causing trouble for tourists.

The invasion of jellyfish once again confirms that holidays in Thailand in the low season can be overshadowed by the same troubles.

Phuket
May-June 2017.
“Portuguese Ships” have reappeared at the seaside beaches in the western part of Phuket, Thailand!

Physalia – resembling jellyfish, are colonies of microscopic sea creatures that are unable to move independently. In the rainy season, which began this year in Thailand at the end of May, Phisalias washed ashore by a storm or high tide.

The poison, which is contained in the long tentacles of such jellyfish, sometimes reaching several meters, is dangerous to humans. There are known cases of death of children and people who were allergic to this poison.

There have been no reports of Russians injured by physalia. You have to understand that now is not the highest season for trips to Phuket. In addition, you need to look at the localization of the physalia, where they are located. They often appear far from the main beaches! So all the same, the devil is not so terrible as his baby!

It is not worth touching the physias, even when they were washed ashore, despite the fact that they may look dead!

Victims of jellyfish should immediately see a doctor at the local hospital.If this is not possible, you need to neutralize the jellyfish poison. This is done with vinegar or lime juice.

But the most important thing You can’t swim after sunset and especially in the rain – during the rainy season in Thailand , all kinds of nasty things float to the shore – the water is muddy and you can’t see anything!

Dangerous jellyfish were spotted in Phuket National Park on Friday 23 September 2016. Two beaches, Nai Thon and Nai Yang, were closed.

Park staff and lifeguards immediately issued and published warnings to campers and local residents about the dangers of swimming and playing on the beach.

Krabi

According to the head of the Sirinat National Park, on September 27, 2016, poisonous creatures were seen on Krabi.

On the beaches of Maya Bay, Phi Phi Lei, warning boards about the appearance of the “Portuguese boat” are installed.

“Be careful when you go swimming – the“ Portuguese boat ”floats on the surface of the water. Make sure you don’t run the risk of bumping into it. Adhere to the recommendations of the rescuers, “advised the head of the Noparat Tara Phi Phi National Park, Mr. Saraut Tantien.

We asked the rescuers to make sure all holidaymakers are aware of the siphonophora on the beaches of Phuket and Krabi, ”said Mr. Kitipat Tarapiban.

Recommendations of doctors: For a bite from a Portuguese boat, rinse the wound with sea water and never with vinegar, which helps with other jellyfish bites.
Jellyfish appeared more than 650 million years ago, they can be called one of the oldest organisms on Earth.

About 95% of the body of a jellyfish is water, it is also their habitat.Most jellyfish live in salt water, although there are species that prefer freshwater. Jellyfish – the phase of the life cycle of representatives of the genus Medusozoa, “sea jelly” alternates with a motionless asexual phase of motionless polyps, from which they are formed by budding after maturation.

The name was introduced in the 18th century by Karl Linnaeus, he saw in these strange organisms a certain resemblance to the mythical Medusa Gorgon, thanks to the presence of tentacles that flutter like hair. With their help, the jellyfish catches small organisms that serve it as food.The tentacles can be long or short, spiky filaments, but they all have stinging cages that stun prey and make hunting easier.

The invasion of jellyfish on the Thai islands. In Thailand, near Koh Samet in Rayong province, you can now observe a unique natural phenomenon: the clear waters around the island are literally filled with colorful jellyfish.
In August and September, a huge colony of jellyfish almost always appears near Samet. There is a lot of plankton here.Jellyfish eat it. In addition, fishing is prohibited here.

Two tourists were burned yesterday while swimming on Lamai Beach on Koh Samui.
Aquabike operators and other beach service staff immediately set up stands warning of the appearance of harmful sea creatures.
Rescuers treated the injured tourists with vinegar, after which they were sent to the hospital.
According to medical reports, the lives of travelers are out of danger.

Beach lifeguards installed warning boards.“We warn vacationers about the dangers at sea that may lie in wait for them now. We are talking about the appearance of dangerous jellyfish in the water area of ​​the beach. And if help is needed, we will treat the wounds with vinegar before the doctors arrive, ”said the beachside Chalamkao.
Due to the exclusive location of Pattaya in the Gulf of Thailand, the resort is not threatened by the invasion of jellyfish.

Jellyfish in Thailand are certainly a beautiful sight, but it is better to watch them from a distance and not touch them with your hands. Severe pain shock from a burn can be fatal.In addition, jellyfish venom can cause difficulty breathing and heartbeat.

Tourists rent boats and admire the rare sight. Swimming in the sea full of jellyfish is prohibited. Jellyfish burns can be fatal to a bather.
Victims of jellyfish should immediately see a doctor at the local hospital. If this is not possible, you need to neutralize the jellyfish poison. This is done with vinegar or lime juice.

But the most important thing You can’t swim after sunset and especially in the rain – during the rainy season in Thailand , all kinds of nasty things float to the shore – the water is muddy and you can’t see anything!

Poisonous jellyfish appear off the coast of Asian resorts during the rainy season.In Thailand, in August, the rainy season begins in Phuket and Koh Samui, the peak season with the heaviest rainfall is on the island of Koh Chang. In particular, extremely dangerous box jellyfish can be found in many coastal provinces of the Andaman coast and the south of the Gulf of Thailand. The bite of such a jellyfish is accompanied by severe pain, causes muscle spasm, nausea, vomiting, headache, and can cause heart failure. It is especially dangerous if the jellyfish stings far from the shore – the swimmer can die within a few minutes from pain shock or cardiac arrest.

Poisonous jellyfish can be fatal to children, the elderly, people with asthma or allergies. A jellyfish burn can cause fever, pain shock, and respiratory distress syndrome.
“Bluebottles are a real disaster that brings the monsoon to the shores of Phuket every year, mainly to 13 beaches on the west coast,” says Lifeguard Club President Pratayut Chuiyan.

First aid for a poisonous jellyfish bite Box jellyfish

1 If there was contact with a jellyfish, cry for help, but do not wave your arms trying to drive it away from you.You risk getting more burns by touching the invisible tentacles of the Box jellyfish.

2 Slowly move away from the place where you were attacked by the jellyfish and quickly head towards the shore.

3 On the shore, inspect the wounds, if they look like burns, see a doctor immediately.

4 While waiting to be sent to the hospital, splash the damaged area with sea water to prevent the poison from the bite from spreading through the body.

5 Table vinegar helps to stop the spread of poison.It is also able to significantly reduce pain.
It is necessary to thoroughly rinse the wound with vinegar, that is, pour it over the bite site for about half a minute, then apply ice.

Doesn’t help with Box jellyfish bites: alcohol, urine or water. They should not be used in any case, since these substances contribute to the spread of poison throughout the body.

As soon as the poison is neutralized, the pain subsides in 5-10 minutes.

As a rule, serious symptoms, up to death, occur in the first 10 minutes after the bite, after this time, as a rule, there are no fatal outcomes.

Basic advice: refrain from swimming during the rainy season. If you intend to swim and swim in the waves, wear a wetsuit, or at least so that your arms and legs are covered with clothes.

Box Jellyfish

Despite the appearance, – all the mouth, surrounded by tentacles – box jellyfish, or cubozoans (literally “animal cubes”), have eyes that are very similar to ours: with the cornea, lens and retina. But what is even more surprising, in the presence of such complex equipment, the eyes of the box jellyfish are constantly defocused.

The fact is that instead of a brain, this animal has a ring of nerves that frames its mouth. In the absence of a central nervous system capable of processing incoming information, even blurry vision tells the box jellyfish everything it needs to know. How big is it? Can i eat? Can you eat me?

The eyes are placed on four legs resembling tiny clubs – on each side of the cuboid body of the animal. In addition to the two “smart” eyes, there are four light-sensitive pits on each of the legs.Again, this is due to the lack of a brain capable of integrating sensory information. For a box jellyfish, “seeing” the enemy and determining whether it is day or night are two absolutely independent tasks that require separate senses.
It is the eyes that distinguish the box jellyfish from the clan of real jellyfish (or scyphoid, from the Greek skyphos – “bowl”), from which they separated at a very early stage, more than 550 million years ago.
Vision, albeit blurry, helps box jellyfish in something else. Unlike jellyfish themselves, which slowly drift while waiting for food to float into their hands, 90,080 box jellyfish are able to swim very quickly (in some species, the speed is 6 feet per second) and bend around obstacles.This means the ability to “hunt”. In addition, they have been shown to form “married” couples in which the male fertilizes the female using tentacles, rather than spraying sperm and eggs in 90,080 seawater like scyphoids.

This circumstance also explains another important adaptation of them. Box jellyfish are unusually poisonous. One of their species, the sea wasp (Chironex fleckeri), is arguably the deadliest creature on our planet. Her bite instantly causes terrible pain, accompanied by intense burning.The poison affects the nervous system, heart and skin, and within three minutes the case can end in death. Up to 10,000 cases of human bites by box jellyfish are recorded annually, and a fatal outcome is no exception.

The next species, Carukia barnesim, is almost as poisonous. Almost invisible in water, being transparent, no larger than a peanut, this box jellyfish is completely covered with stinging cells. Those who survived her bite experienced the so-called “Irukandji syndrome”, which is expressed in severe pain, nausea, vomiting, a catastrophic surge in blood pressure and a feeling of imminent death.The syndrome was named after one of the indigenous tribes, in whose folklore there is a legend about a terrible disease that affects everyone who dares to enter the sea. The poison causes a violent release of norepinephrine, resulting in a fatal panic in the victim.

Why are box jellyfish so poisonous and is there a connection with vision? In reality, this is all a matter of size. As box jellyfish see, they tend to eat what is larger than them. And in order to somehow minimize the damage to their delicate tentacles, they need to immediately paralyze the victim.For you and me, they are deadly only because we are so big: we ourselves bump into them, exposing ourselves to a much larger number of stinging cells than box jellyfish usually need to immobilize prey

This is interesting

Medusa | Children’s site

Jellyfish are jelly-like aquatic creatures that existed before the era of the dinosaurs. They live in both cold and warm water, as well as deep and shallow coastlines.Jellyfish can range in color from clear to blue, purple or yellow, while many are bioluminescent.

Basic Facts & Information

• Kingdom: animals
• Type : coelenterates Cnidaria, creeping
• Class: scyphoid jellyfish, hydromedusa, box jellyfish
• Order: corona jellyfish, cornerotes, discomedusa

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• Body size: 2 cm to 2 m
• Diet: shrimp, fish, crab, small plants
• Habitat: oceans, seas, salt lakes and freshwater lakes (only one species of jellyfish)
• An adult jellyfish is called Medusa in honor of the Greek Gorgon, who had snakes on his head.
• Jellyfish are composed of a smooth, sac-like body with stinging tentacles. Their tentacles are made of stinging cells called clinoblasts to stun and paralyze prey.
• They have no brain, heart, limbs, bones or senses. In the center of the body, a small hole serves as a primitive mouth that feeds and expels waste. Jellyfish digest their food immediately so they can swim in the water and not drown.
• Most jellyfish have bioluminescent organs that emit light.This ability helps them attract prey or distract predators, including sea turtles and other creatures.
• Besides biting, their transparent body serves as a defense mechanism.
• Since they have no brain, jellyfish have an underlying nervous system made up of receptors that help them detect light and vibration underwater.
• In addition, jellyfish can regenerate when injured.
• About 95% of their body is water.

Playback

• Jellyfish are capable of producing offspring both asexually and sexually.
• Moreover, different types of jellyfish carry their offspring in different ways. Some larvae are expelled from the mouth to fertilize outside the body, while others are in the gonads until they develop.

Power supply.

• Most jellyfish species are passive predators, that is, they feed on plankton, crustaceans, eggs, and small fish.
• Sharks, tuna, sea turtles and Pacific salmon are common enemies.
• Jellyfish are considered one of the oldest animals.
• Lunar jellyfish are commonly found on the shores of North America and Europe. They live in water about six meters deep and are usually blue or pink in color.
• Natural Collagen is made from harvested jellyfish.
• Today there are more than 2,000 different types of jellyfish, of which almost 70 can cause harm to humans.

Symptoms, causes and prevention of a jellyfish sting

• Here are some common signs and symptoms of a jellyfish sting:
• Tingling, burning and burning pain.
• Red, brown and purple stripe of tentacles on the skin.
• Swelling and itching.
• When jellyfish stings are severe, a person may feel the following:
  • Abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea.
  • Headache with muscle pain and spasm.
  • Drowsiness and fainting.
  • Difficulty breathing.
• The tentacles of the jellyfish are equipped with microscopic prickly stings with bulbs that trap venom. It serves as their main defense mechanism against predators and danger.
• When the tentacle touches a person’s skin, it releases a sting that penetrates the skin and secretes venom. It affects the skin on contact and can enter the bloodstream.
• Among the most harmful to humans are Portuguese jellyfish, sea nettle and lion’s mane jellyfish.
• To avoid jellyfish stings, people should wear protective suits and avoid swimming and diving in areas infested with jellyfish.
• Box jellyfish is a unique type of jellyfish with 24 eyes, 60 anal regions and four parallel brains.Its poison is considered one of the deadliest in the world, as it attacks the nervous system. They are also called sea wasps and sea stingers, which are commonly found in the waters of Northern Australia and the Indo-Pacific.
• Due to frequent bites in Australia, scientists have developed an antidote for box jellyfish stings.

90,000 Beware of the Deadly Jellyfish Irukandji – Recipes & Travel

Plunging into the world of the crystal clear beaches of North Queensland is a natural activity when you are on the beach.But if you rush forward without checking the water, you can quickly head to b

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Plunging into the world of the crystal clear beaches of North Queensland is a natural activity when you are on the beach. But if you rush forward without testing the water, you can quickly head to the hospital after a day at the beach!

Why? Because of the Irukandji jellyfish, a quiet, mysterious, almost invisible assassin who hides in the seas off northern Australia.

Medusa Irukandji, Karukua Barnesi , inhabits northern Australian waters in a wide arc from Exmouth in Western Australia to Gladstone in Queensland.

The Irukandji jellyfish is found in the waters of northern Queensland during the jellyfish season, from about late October to early May.

According to the Australian Marine Support Service, only three people have died from the Irukandji jellyfish worldwide in the past 100 years.

Hence, they are a dangerous but common threat in the water, and while you don’t need to be afraid of them, you still need to know.

Small but deadly

The deadly Irukandji jellyfish is a tiny killer and can be overlooked in the water.

The bell and tentacles, only 2.5 centimeters in diameter, are almost impossible to detect.

Unlike the box jellyfish, the Irukandji jellyfish does not only live in coastal waters, so do not believe that you are safe away from the coast if you are within the northern Australian arc and it is now jellyfish season.

Deaths

This deadly species of jellyfish has long inhabited these waters, but it became widely known in January 2002 when 58-year-old British tourist Richard Jordon was stung while sailing off Hamilton Island off the coast of Queensland.He died a few days later.

A few months later, reportedly 34-year-old French tourist Robert Gonzalez was similarly stung and taken to hospital where he recovered.

It is reported that in April 2002, 44-year-old American tourist Robert King died after colliding with the Irukandji jellyfish off Port Douglas, Queensland.

Bite Symptoms

The deadly Irukandji jellyfish is related to the more widely known box jellyfish that visitors to the north coast of Queensland are warned about.

From 1883 to the end of 2005, box jellyfish caused at least 70 recorded deaths.

Box jellyfish bite immediately causes pain and scarring. These signs lead to prompt first aid and treatment initiation, which reduces the likelihood of death or serious injury and helps to reduce the death toll.

On the other hand, the Irukandji jellyfish bite often feels like nothing more than a painful irritant with a rash similar to prickly heat.By the time more severe symptoms appear, it will be too late to save a life.

For this reason, it is important to remain vigilant when you are in the water.

Sting

If you have been at sea in the Australian jellyfish zone and it is now jellyfish season, be suspicious of any unexpected pain, however minor, especially if it is accompanied by a rash.

If you suspect that you have been stung by one of these nasty ocean dwellers, of any kind, first aid should be provided immediately.

Australian Marine Corps Stinger Advisory Services advises you:

• Wear protective clothing. A full-length lycra suit reduces the risk of bites by 75%.
• Carry vinegar with you when you go swimming or boating to get rid of bites.
• Soak even minor bites with vinegar
• Do not return to the water until you are sure you are not sick (wait 30 minutes)
• If in doubt or have difficulty, seek help as soon as possible.You may need to go to the hospital for a more thorough examination and, if necessary, treatment.