A guide to medical emergencies caused by aquatic animals

Republish

The Agency FAPESP licenses news via Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) so that they can be republished free of charge and in a simple way by other digital or printed vehicles. Agência FAPESP must be credited as the source of the content being republished and the name of the reporter (if any) must be attributed. Using the HMTL button below allows compliance with these rules, detailed in Digital Republishing Policy FAPESP.

Agência FAPESP* –By Diego Freire  |  Agência FAPESP – Most medical emergencies that result from interactions between humans and animals on beaches are caused by contact with small creatures such as sea urchins, some species of which produce toxins that cause intense pain and inflammation. Advice on treatment following accidents that involve aquatic animals can be found in Medical Emergencies Caused by Aquatic Animals: a Zoological and Clinical Guide, which has been written by Vidal Haddad Junior and recently published by Springer.
Haddad is a Full Professor and Head of the Dermatology & Radiotherapy Department of São Paulo State University’s Botucatu Medical School (FMB-UNESP) in São Paulo State, Brazil, with more than 30 years of experience in medical and zoological research, much of it supported by FAPESP. In addition to cases involving contact with various species of animals in marine and riverine habitats, the book addresses the ingestion of toxins produced by pufferfish, among other species, as well as fungal and bacterial infections arising from exposure to aquatic environments.
“The book is intended as a reference guide for emergency and ambulatory care medicine, with essential information on the most important problems and incidents caused by marine and freshwater animals, and in other environments where human beings interact in various ways with aquatic animals. It’s the result of an entire lifetime of research and practical experience,” Haddad said.
The information presented in the book was collected from several sources, starting with the author’s own research among fishing communities along the Brazilian coast and on Brazilian rivers and lakes. Data on injuries to beach goers were cataloged in a clinical series in which some 3,000 lesions were observed over a period of almost 20 years.
The book’s contents encompass the identification of species, clinical aspects of envenomation and lesions, first aid and emergency care, the main types of treatment available, and a typical case representing each group of animals. The cases are illustrated by the author’s photographs of specimens and the wounds caused by these organisms.
The chapters are organized according to zoological groups: marine and freshwater invertebrates, such as sponges, jellyfish, Portuguese-man-of-war, anemones, corals, leeches, cone snails, and starfish; and vertebrates, such as fish and reptiles. A clinical guide is included for students and professionals working in medicine, biological sciences, and other disciplines in coastal or freshwater areas, with guidance on how to address medical emergencies caused by aquatic animals.
“Interest in aquatic environments is growing because of easier access to beaches, rivers and lakes, especially for recreation and sports,” Haddad said. “But these environments are frequented by many people who lack proper knowledge of local conditions and the risks posed by aquatic animals’ natural defenses. This can lead to unpleasant encounters for which humans are often ill-prepared.”
According to Haddad, injuries caused by aquatic animals are typically due to inadvertent contact with poisonous species, whose toxins have deleterious effects when they are ingested or come into contact with the human body; traumatogenic animals, which can cause a wound by biting, stinging and/or puncturing human skin; and venomous species, which have glands linked to fangs, spines, stingers, or other structures that can inject very potent toxins.
The main aquatic animals that cause injuries that require emergency medical treatment belong to the sponges (phylum Porifera), jellyfish, anemones and corals (Cnidaria), marine worms (Annelida), octopuses and cone snails (Mollusca), sea urchins (Echinodermata), crabs, and shrimps (Crustacea).
To identify periods in which accidents with marine animals are most frequent, Haddad monitored occurrences in Ubatuba, a seaside city in São Paulo State. He initially observed 144 injuries caused by these animals over a period of 18 months, with clear peaks in summer, when the city’s population increases tenfold. More than 90% of the people injured were beach goers, and most of the other injuries occurred among fishermen. One in 1,000 visits to emergency rooms are for treatment for injuries caused by marine animals. “That’s a large number if you consider the fact that up to 5,000 people can be treated in emergency rooms in a single day during the vacation season,” he said.
About half of the injuries were caused by humans stepping on sea urchins, about a quarter of the injuries were caused by jellyfish and similar animals and about a quarter were caused by fish (mainly stingrays, toadfish, and catfish).
“The early stages of an injury or wound caused by a fish are always an emergency for the victim owing to pain and bleeding. The pain can be very severe. Systemic manifestations may be present, including malfunctioning of the cardiovascular, respiratory and urinary systems. The victims are occasionally at risk of death. The information and guidance presented in the book are also useful for prevention of these conditions,” Haddad said.
 
Medical Emergencies Caused by Aquatic Animals: A Zoological and Clinical Guide 
Author: Vidal Haddad Junior
Publisher: Springer
Published: 2016
Price: $109.00 (print) | $84.99 (e-book)
Pages: 112
More information: www.springer.com/br/book/9783319202877

<p><strong>By Diego Freire  |  Agência FAPESP</strong> – Most medical emergencies that result from interactions between humans and animals on beaches are caused by contact with small creatures such as sea urchins, some species of which produce toxins that cause intense pain and inflammation. Advice on treatment following accidents that involve aquatic animals can be found in <em>Medical Emergencies Caused by Aquatic Animals: a Zoological and Clinical Guide</em>, which has been written by Vidal Haddad Junior and recently published by Springer.</p>
<p>Haddad is a Full Professor and Head of the Dermatology & Radiotherapy Department of São Paulo State University’s Botucatu Medical School (FMB-UNESP) in São Paulo State, Brazil, with more than 30 years of experience in medical and zoological research, much of it <b><a href="http://www.bv.fapesp.br/en/pesquisador/666045/vidal-haddad-junior/" target="_blank">supported by FAPESP</a></b>. In addition to cases involving contact with various species of animals in marine and riverine habitats, the book addresses the ingestion of toxins produced by pufferfish, among other species, as well as fungal and bacterial infections arising from exposure to aquatic environments.</p>
<p>“The book is intended as a reference guide for emergency and ambulatory care medicine, with essential information on the most important problems and incidents caused by marine and freshwater animals, and in other environments where human beings interact in various ways with aquatic animals. It’s the result of an entire lifetime of research and practical experience,” Haddad said.</p>
<p>The information presented in the book was collected from several sources, starting with the author’s own research among fishing communities along the Brazilian coast and on Brazilian rivers and lakes. Data on injuries to beach goers were cataloged in a clinical series in which some 3,000 lesions were observed over a period of almost 20 years.</p>
<p>The book’s contents encompass the identification of species, clinical aspects of envenomation and lesions, first aid and emergency care, the main types of treatment available, and a typical case representing each group of animals. The cases are illustrated by the author’s photographs of specimens and the wounds caused by these organisms.</p>
<p>The chapters are organized according to zoological groups: marine and freshwater invertebrates, such as sponges, jellyfish, Portuguese-man-of-war, anemones, corals, leeches, cone snails, and starfish; and vertebrates, such as fish and reptiles. A clinical guide is included for students and professionals working in medicine, biological sciences, and other disciplines in coastal or freshwater areas, with guidance on how to address medical emergencies caused by aquatic animals.</p>
<p>“Interest in aquatic environments is growing because of easier access to beaches, rivers and lakes, especially for recreation and sports,” Haddad said. “But these environments are frequented by many people who lack proper knowledge of local conditions and the risks posed by aquatic animals’ natural defenses. This can lead to unpleasant encounters for which humans are often ill-prepared.”</p>
<p>According to Haddad, injuries caused by aquatic animals are typically due to inadvertent contact with poisonous species, whose toxins have deleterious effects when they are ingested or come into contact with the human body; traumatogenic animals, which can cause a wound by biting, stinging and/or puncturing human skin; and venomous species, which have glands linked to fangs, spines, stingers, or other structures that can inject very potent toxins.</p>
<p>The main aquatic animals that cause injuries that require emergency medical treatment belong to the sponges (phylum Porifera), jellyfish, anemones and corals (Cnidaria), marine worms (Annelida), octopuses and cone snails (Mollusca), sea urchins (Echinodermata), crabs, and shrimps (Crustacea).</p>
<p>To identify periods in which accidents with marine animals are most frequent, Haddad monitored occurrences in Ubatuba, a seaside city in São Paulo State. He initially observed 144 injuries caused by these animals over a period of 18 months, with clear peaks in summer, when the city’s population increases tenfold. More than 90% of the people injured were beach goers, and most of the other injuries occurred among fishermen. One in 1,000 visits to emergency rooms are for treatment for injuries caused by marine animals. “That’s a large number if you consider the fact that up to 5,000 people can be treated in emergency rooms in a single day during the vacation season,” he said.</p>
<p>About half of the injuries were caused by humans stepping on sea urchins, about a quarter of the injuries were caused by jellyfish and similar animals and about a quarter were caused by fish (mainly stingrays, toadfish, and catfish).</p>
<p>“The early stages of an injury or wound caused by a fish are always an emergency for the victim owing to pain and bleeding. The pain can be very severe. Systemic manifestations may be present, including malfunctioning of the cardiovascular, respiratory and urinary systems. The victims are occasionally at risk of death. The information and guidance presented in the book are also useful for prevention of these conditions,” Haddad said.</p>
<p><em> </em></p>
<p><b>Medical Emergencies Caused by Aquatic Animals: A Zoological and Clinical Guide</b><em> </em><br />
Author: Vidal Haddad Junior<br />
Publisher: Springer<br />
Published: 2016<br />
Price: $109.00 (print) | $84.99 (e-book)<br />
Pages: 112</p>
<p>More information: <font color="#0000ee"><b><a href="http://www.springer.com/br/book/9783319202877" target="_blank">www.springer.com/br/book/9783319202877</a></b></font></p>
<p> </p>