Australian carybdeid jellyfish causing “Irukandji syndrome”

The Australian carybdeid jellyfish associated with Irukandji syndrome is Carukia barnesi, (Barnes' jellyfish). Other Australian carybdeid jellyfish that may be associated with the syndrome include Carukia shinju, Carybdea xaymacana, Malo maxima, Malo kingi, Alatina mordens, Gerongia rifkinae, and Morbakka fenneri (“Morbakka”). These small jellyfish are difficult to capture and identify. They are located offshore of the coasts of Australian states including Queensland, The Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia. The syndromic illness, resulting from a characteristic relatively minor sting, develops after about 30 minutes and consists of severe muscle pains especially of the lower back, muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, agitation, vasoconstriction, prostration, hypertension and in cases of severe envenomation, acute heart failure. The mechanisms of actions of their toxins are obscure but they appear to include modulation of neuronal sodium channels leading to massive release of endogenous catecholamines (C. barnesi, A. mordens and M. maxima) and thereby to possible stress-induced cardiomyopathy. In addition, pore formation may occur in myocardial cellular membranes (C. xaymacana). In human cases of severe envenomation, systemic hypertension and myocardial dysfunction are associated with membrane leakage of troponin. Clinical management includes parenteral analgesia, antihypertensive therapy, oxygen and mechanical ventilation. No effective first-aid is known. Large knowledge gaps exist in biology of the jellyfish, their distribution, their toxins and mode of actions and in treatment of the Irukandji syndrome.