Ben Brock Johnson (@TheBrockJohnson), senior producer of "Endless Thread," introduces us to the
The venom from Irukandji, and its larger cousin the box jellyfish, can cause Irukandji syndrome; a painful, potentially lethal condition associated with a sense of "impending doom".
Most are relatively harmless. But in the Sea of Japan, a variety of clinging jellyfish is notorious for toxic stings that cause a wide range of symptoms—severe pain, difficulty breathing, and even hallucinations—that can persist for up to five days.
Signs and symptoms of Irukandji envenomation are not always immediate and may appear 5 to 45 minutes after the initial sting. Nausea ◆ Anxiety ◆ Restlessness ◆ Vomiting ◆ Breathing difficulties. Begin resuscitation if necessary.
Jellyfish account for more than 80 known deaths since 1883. The box jellyfish was responsible for 79 deaths, and Irukandji the other two.
A sting from this jellyfish can bring on a sense of impending doom, and cause the victim to want to die. As the oceans warm, habitat for the Irukandji is expanding.
Irukandji syndrome is a painful, potentially lethal condition caused by the sting and envenomation from multiple jellyfish species. It is characterized by severe pain, muscle cramping, hypertension, and potentially life-threatening cardiac complications.
In addition to the jellyfish sting causing severe pain, nausea and breathing difficulties, the research states there is a feeling of impending doom after you're stung.
Irukandji-like symptoms can occur 20 – 30 minutes after the sting and include: severe pain in the body (back, abdomen and chest) increased heart rate (tachycardia) trouble breathing.
You may be familiar with an impending sense of doom as a figure of speech or symptom of situational anxiety. This is more closely linked to stress or other mental health conditions than a medical emergency. For example, you may feel an impending sense of doom before: having a hard conversation.
Box jellyfish, named for their body shape, have tentacles covered in biological booby traps known as nematocysts - tiny darts loaded with poison. People and animals unfortunate enough to be injected with this poison may experience paralysis, cardiac arrest, and even death, all within a few minutes of being stung.
Judging from statistics, it is believed that the Irukandji syndrome may be produced by several species of jellyfish, but only Carukia barnesi and Malo kingi have so far been proven to cause the condition.
But she said most people don't feel the sting. The symptoms include excruciating pain, predominately lower back and abdominal, headache, nausea, vomiting and a feeling of impending doom. “The doom is hard to explain but they're absolutely terrified and look like they're terrified,” Dr Phillips said.
The areas that came in contact with the jellyfish usually become covered with several whiplash-like lesions. Upon contact with the jellyfish, you might feel an electric shock-like sensation, followed by a burning sensation and acute pain that can increase over 30 to 40 minutes.
Although the main bell of the box jelly is about the size of a sugar cube, its stinging tentacles can stretch for one meter (SF Fig. 3.4) The venom of Irukandji jellies, which are found off the coast of Australia, acts on the nervous system and paralyzes the lungs and heart.
What are my chances of getting stung by an Irukandji? Rare. Out of the millions of “people days” each year in the Great Barrier Reef waters, in a particularly bad year, only around 100 Irukandji stings occur in Queensland which require medical treatment.
This strong feeling of impending doom can come and go rarely, occur frequently, or persist indefinitely. For example, you may feel a strong fear of impending doom once in a while and not that often, feel it off and on, or feel it all the time.
Ways to manage a sense of impending doom
If the sense of impending doom stems from an anxiety condition, stress management techniques, medication, psychotherapy, or a combination thereof may help. A therapist can help you learn how to cope with these feelings when they come on.
While there have been only two confirmed Irukandji deaths in Australia, the stingers are suspected to be behind the mysterious deaths of several tourists on the Great Barrier Reef.
Jellyfish stings in Australia can cause pain, paralysis and death for swimmers with exposed skin. Numerous venomous species of jellyfish occur in Australian waters, including the box jellyfish and Irukandji Jellyfish. Box jellyfish are believed to have caused at least 69 deaths since record keeping began in 1883.
Where are they found in Australia? Irukandji are usually found in tropical waters, from Bundaberg in Queensland, up around the northern coastline of Australia, to Geraldton in Western Australia. They have been found as far south on the eastern coastline as Hervey Bay, but this is not common.
Irukandji are much smaller than their Box Jellyfish cousins. With their bell measuring a mere 2cm and their tentacles rarely reaching a metre in length, the Irukandji are incredibly hard to spot in water. People often do not feel Irukandji stings, and this leads to under reporting.
Irukandji Syndrome affects people differently and some patients may develop heart failure, pulmonary oedema and hypertensive stroke.
Of all the jellies that call the ocean's midnight zone home, the psychedelic jelly (Crossota millsae) is one of the most stunning. Its wildly colorful appearance—ruby red, bright orange, and electric purple—first tipped off scientists that they had found a previously unknown species.