A woman in her 30s has survived multiple bites from a potentially deadly blue-ringed octopus.
The woman was swimming at a beach near Sydney when she picked up a shell containing the octopus, which fell and bit her twice in the stomach. Paramedics went to Chinamans Beach, in Mosman, around 2:45 p.m.
The woman experienced some abdominal pain and was treated with cold packs before being taken to hospital to be monitored for further symptoms, according to NSW Ambulance. She was transferred to the Royal North Shore Hospital in stable condition for further monitoring and treatment. It is not clear why the woman was left relatively unharmed.
There are several species of blue-ringed octopus: the greater blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata), the southern blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa), the blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena fasciata), and the common blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena nierstraszi). ).
These octopuses are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and are covered in tiny rings that flash an iridescent blue when the animals feel threatened and warn predators of their toxicity. These rings can blink thanks to tiny organs, called chromatophores, which change color and are spread over the skin of animals.
Tetrodotoxin, the lethal poison
What makes these animals so poisonous is tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin that can paralyze and kill humans even in small doses. Tetrodotoxin blocks the sodium ion channels, preventing the nerves from sending signals to the muscles, paralyzing them. This also affects the airways, possibly leading to respiratory arrest and death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the effects of tetrodotoxin can be rapid or delayed, with death occurring within 20 minutes to 24 hours after the toxin enters the body.
Tetrodotoxin is found in all tissues of the octopus, not just specific venom glands, making it one of the few animals that is both poisonous. It also means that a person can receive a lethal dose if one of these octopuses touches their skin.
Because there is no known antidote for tetrodotoxin, all healthcare professionals can do is provide supportive care or use a ventilator if the patient cannot breathe. At least two people in Australia and one in Singapore are known to have died from tetrodoxin so far, according to the Australian Institute of Marine Science.