A woman in Australia was recently bitten several times by a blue-ringed octopus. This is one of the most poisonous
There are four types of blue-ringed octopuses:Hapalochlaena lunulata, Hapalochlaena maculosa, Hapalochlaena fasciata and Hapalochlaena nierstraszi. They 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 are in danger.
In March 2023, a woman was bitten twicebehind an unknown species of blue-ringed octopus on a beach near Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. While swimming, she saw a small shell, and when she lifted it to examine it, a tiny cephalopod fell out and landed on her stomach. This was reported by the New South Wales Ambulance Service on social media.
The woman suffered from abdominal pain,She was treated with cold compresses before being taken to the hospital to be monitored for other symptoms. It is unclear why the woman remained relatively unharmed.
Tetrodotoxin disrupts the transmission of nerve impulsesto the muscles, blocking sodium ion channels. This causes rapid weakening and paralysis of muscles, including the respiratory tract, which leads to respiratory arrest and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the effects of tetrodotoxin may occur quickly or have a delayed onset. Therefore, death can occur within a period of 20 minutes to 24 hours after the poison enters the body.
There is no antidote for tetrodotoxin.According to the CDC, all health care providers can do is provide supportive care or use a ventilator if patients cannot breathe on their own.
The blue-ringed octopuses themselvesdo not produce tetrodotoxin. Instead, it is produced by commensal bacteria that live in their salivary glands. At the same time, tetrodotoxin was found in all tissues of octopuses, and not just in certain poisonous glands. A person can receive a lethal dose of poison if an animal touches their skin.
Despite their toxicity, blue-ringed octopuses have caused only three confirmed deaths, according to WebMD.
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