5-Minute Emergency Consult
Marine Envenomation
Basics
Description
Marine envenomation refers to poisoning by active venom delivery through contact with a marine organism
Etiology
- Sponges:
- Contain sharp spicules with irritants that cause pruritic dermatitis
- Coelenterates (Cnidaria jellyfish):
- Contain stinging cells known as nematocysts on their tentacles
- Fluid-filled cysts eject sharp, hollow thread-tube on contact
- Box jellyfish can kill within minutes
- Starfish:
- Sharp, rigid spines are coated with slimy venom
- Crown of Thorns is a large starfish with potent venom
- Sea urchins:
- Hollow, sharp spines filled with various toxins
- Sea cucumbers:
- Hollow tentacles secrete holothurin, a liquid toxin
- Cone snails:
- Venom injected through dart-like, projectile tooth
- Active peptides interfere with neuromuscular transmission
- Cone snails can kill within minutes
- Stingrays:
- Tapered barbed spines attached to tail inject venom into victim
- Scorpanidae (scorpion fish):
- Lionfish usually mild pain; stonefish can be life threatening due to shock
- Sharp spines along dorsum and pelvis of fish
- Often stepped on inadvertently
- Neurotoxic venom
- Catfish:
- Dorsal and pectoral spines contain venom glands
- Sea snakes:
- Hollow fangs with associated venom glands
- Highly neurotoxic venom blocks neuromuscular transmission
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Citation
Schaider, Jeffrey J., et al., editors. "Marine Envenomation." 5-Minute Emergency Consult, 7th ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2027. Emergency Central, emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307011/2.3/Marine_Envenomation_.
Marine Envenomation. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, et al, eds. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2027. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307011/2.3/Marine_Envenomation_. Accessed July 21, 2026.
Marine Envenomation. (2027). In Schaider, J. J., Barkin, R. M., Hayden, S. R., Wolfe, R. E., Barkin, A. Z., Shayne, P., & Rosen, P. (Eds.), 5-Minute Emergency Consult (7th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307011/2.3/Marine_Envenomation_
Marine Envenomation [Internet]. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, et al, eds. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2027. [cited 2026 July 21]. Available from: https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307011/2.3/Marine_Envenomation_.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Marine Envenomation
ID - 307011
ED - Barkin,Adam Z,
ED - Shayne,Philip,
ED - Rosen,Peter,
ED - Schaider,Jeffrey J,
ED - Barkin,Roger M,
ED - Hayden,Stephen R,
ED - Wolfe,Richard E,
BT - 5-Minute Emergency Consult
UR - https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307011/2.3/Marine_Envenomation_
PB - Wolters Kluwer
ET - 7
DB - Emergency Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
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