Marine animal stings or bites

Alternative names

Stings - marine animals; Bites - marine animals

Definition

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

Considerations

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

Causes
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

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

First Aid

• 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

• 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

• The victim has generalized symptoms.