Toxic Tentacles

Spookily elegant, this creature is one of the deadliest animals on earth. A sting from the poisonous tentacles of the Australian box jellyfish – Chironex fleckeri – can kill a human in under 10 minutes. Although an antivenom is available, recent tests have shown that we need to change how it’s used. In tests on human cells, it took five times the maximum recommended dose of antivenom for it to be more effective than a control treatment. And the antivenom was found to take 70 minutes to fully neutralise venom, much longer than originally thought. This information could save lives: carrying on resuscitation efforts until the venom is fully neutralised will help victims survive. It remains to be seen whether giving higher doses of antivenom would be safe for humans, but hopefully once we’ve made these improvements there will be less of a sting in this tale.

Written by Esther Redhouse White

Esther Redhouse White

Writer

A recent Biochemistry graduate from York, Esther has worked on bacterial killing proteins and genetic switches in worms. In her spare time she likes visiting museums full of skeletons.

• Image by Christian Darkin
• Science Photo Library
• Any re-use of this image must be authorised by Science Photo Library
• Research published in the Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, August 2014