Paralysis and a head lump

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A 5 year old girl is unable to walk and is becoming progressively weaker. She also complained of a lump on her head. Can you make the diagnosis?

Getting into hot water

With ongoing climate change we may find soon find ourselves getting into hot water — both literally and metaphorico-toxinologically. Sea surface temperature appears to predict the arrival of the box jellyfish at Australia’s tropical beaches.

Chironex fleckeri envenoming

Case-based question-and-answers on a near fatal box jellyfish sting. Can you save the day?

Snakebite Envenoming Challenge

So you sailed through the toxidrome challenge did you? How are you with elapids? Let’s see how you fare on the ‘Australian Snakebite Envenoming Challenge’…

How this works: For each of the six types of venomous Australian snake see if you can describe the classic findings for each of the possibly clinical effects listed below – click on the link to show/hide the answer.

Stonefish in moving pictures

We’ve already seen the multi-tentacled box jellyfish and the cause of Irukandji syndrome in moving pictures – now its time for the stonefish. From “Ocean’s deadliest creatures” with Steve Irwin and Phillippe Cousteau – the stonefish footage starts at 2:50 min: Alternatively, check out Billy Connolly’s take on the dangers of Australian sea life, with [...]

Irukandji in the Northern Territory

We describe Irukandji syndrome (a painful hypercatecholaminergic condition caused by jellyfish envenoming) in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Lionfish envenoming

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A 41-year-old man presented to the emergency department 20 minutes after being stung on the distal palmar surface of his right index finger by his lionfish (Pterois volitans) while cleaning his aquarium. Almost immediately after the sting, severe pain developed, followed by nausea. The patient bathed his finger in hot water, as recommended by his aquarist guidebook, with no alleviation of symptoms.

Box jellyfish in moving pictures

The multi-tentacled box jellyfish, Chironex fleckeri, is possibly the most venomous animal in the world. Here’s some footage from documentaries on this amazing beast (aka “booger with tentacles”!?):

Stingray envenoming

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While riding in a boat off the North Queensland coast a 12 year-old boy was struck by a large fish that had catapulted itself out of the water.

Irukandji in moving pictures

Documentary footage, featuring Dr Mike Leahy putting his life at risk, concerning the jellyfish that cause Irukandji syndrome