Palytoxin is no Joke

[GMaquarium]

Just for the record Randy, the fact that you have a history of always getting chest congestion after viral infections makes me at least consider a touch of asthmatic condition. Burning in the chest can either be GI ,pulmonary or cardiac. Clearly pulmonary or cardiac can be life threatening. Mark's point about benadryl is important, but the effects from palytoxin can be toxic or allergic. If you were having an allegic component that can get very complicated given your buisness. Make sure you follow up with your doctor.
If a patient came to my office with your symptoms I would first make sure I understood their vitals, HR,BP,RR temp. Then I would be very carefull on my exam to make sure their lungs were clear and that the cardiac exam was normal. Then and only then would I offer an opinion.
Be well......

Listen to the doc. I'm in the same boat.

 

[kelp47]

I'm new to corals, trying to learn as much as I can. If I put corals in my tank that could potentially release toxins, is it best practice to wear gloves every time, or only when handling these corals? Can they release a toxin into the water that is harmful without even touching the coral?

I'm learning that there are more potential dangers in this hobby than I realized--electrical exposure, toxicity, stinging, etc. I'm trying to be sure I understand it all because I don't know that it can all be prevented with good common sense alone.

 

[tmz]

(relatively small) fishes can pop these Palys and surive.
is there an antidote to be developed from Marine Angelfish/Butterflyfish/etc.?

someday National Geographic MIGHT prove I was onto something....

I think there is something to that. Such research might be useful for a range of vascoconstrictors
I will definately not eat my Alrdi clownfish as I've seen her gulp a loose paly once or twice.
The most common way humans suffer from it is by ingesting certain fish that hold the toxin, eg. triggerfish,puffers et al. There are antidotes post infection tested will posiitve on mice via injection to the heart.

I need more gloves.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

no glove... no (coral) love :beer:

 

[Capt_Cully]

MK, concerns about IGg, IGm mediation like bee venom?

 

[MarkKlier]

Yes bee venom is IGE mediated allergic reaction. The palytoxin is a very large molecule so certainly could develope an IGE type hypersensativity (at least it makes sense to me). The toxic effect is felt to be due to a disruption of the positive Ion transport at a cellular level. This can have a vasoconstrictive effect, which is very bad for myocardium. Epi has both alpha adrenergic effects and beta adrenergic effects. In a code the alpha andrenergic effects are beneficial due to the increase BP and thus coranary and cerebral perfussion. Allergic reactions are hypotensive events and epi is a great drug for them. The beta adrenergic effects increase the oxygen cunsumption of the myocardium and so might be detrimental post resusitation. The toxic effects of the palytoxin are felt to be vaso constrictive so epi might make things worse if you are having a toxic effect. Thats why the vitals would be so critical in managing an acute situation.

 

[Capt_Cully]

Excellent! Thanks!

 

[teamdulski]

Very interesting thread.