Jellyfish responsible for Irukandji syndrome

Abstract

[Extract] Irukandji syndrome is a distressing array of symptoms following a jellyfish sting.1 Generally, symptoms develop 20–60 min after the sting, and include back pain, nausea, abdominal cramps, sweating, hypertension, tachycardia and a feeling of impending doom.1–3 The sting usually leaves only mild local signs. In a series of 116 cases presenting to Cairns Base Hospital in one year, 64% required hospital admission and there was one death.2 Patients suffer severe pain, as demonstrated by the adult patients in this series requiring a mean dose equivalent to 42mg of morphine.2 There have been case reports of patients developing life-threatening cardiac failure requiring intubation and inotropic support.3 In Huynh’s series, 22% had evidence of myocardial injury, with an elevated troponin.2 Reports of Irukandji syndrome have come from Australia, Hawaii, Florida, French West Indies, Bon Air, Caribbean, Timor Leste and Papua New Guinea.1 The syndrome may well occur in many other parts of the world, but not be recognized.