MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Marine animal stings or bites

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Marine animal stings or bites

Contents of this page:
Illustrations Alternative names Definition Considerations Causes	Symptoms First Aid Do Not Call immediately for emergency medical assistance if Prevention

Illustrations

Jellyfish sting

Alternative names Return to top

Stings - marine animals; Bites - marine animals

Definition Return to top

This injury is described as a poisonous bite or sting from any form of marine life.

Considerations Return to top

The majority of these types of stings occur in salt water.
Some types of marine stings or bites can be deadly.

Causes Return to top

Causes include bites or stings from various types of marine life including: jellyfish, Portuguese Man-of-War, stingray, stonefish, scorpion fish, catfish, sea urchins, sea anemone, hydroid, coral, cone shell, moray eels, sharks, barracudas, and electric eels.

Symptoms Return to top

Localized symptoms
- Pain
- Burning
- Swelling
- Redness
- Laceration, bleeding
Generalized symptoms
- Groin pain, armpit pain
- Cramps
- Fever
- Sweating
- Weakness, faintness, dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
- Paralysis

First Aid Return to top

Keep the victim quiet and still.
Wear gloves, if possible when removing stingers.
Wipe off stingers or tentacles with a towel.
Wash the area with salt water.
Soak the wound in as hot of water as the patient can tolerate for 30-90 minutes, if instructed to do so by trained personnel.
For some types of stings/bites, you may be instructed to apply vinegar or a meat tenderizer/water solution to neutralize the venom.

Do Not Return to top

DO NOT attempt to remove stingers without protecting your own hands.
DO NOT raise the affected body part above the level of the heart.
DO NOT allow the victim to exercise.
DO NOT give any medication, unless told to do so by a physician.

Call immediately for emergency medical assistance if Return to top

The victim has generalized symptoms.
The victim has difficulty breathing.
There is uncontrollable bleeding.

Prevention Return to top

Swim near a lifeguard.
Observe posted signs that may warn of danger from jellyfish or other hazardous marine life.
Do not touch unfamiliar marine life. Even dead animals or severed tentacles may contain poisonous venom.

Update Date: 10/28/2003

Updated by: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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