Thorn Tree travel forum

1

a mate of mine was working as a doc in Mackay, Queensland where somebody was admitted after being stung by one of these jellyfish. I think this was the first victim that actually died, around 2001/2. Never heard of them off Thailand before.

2

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there are some reports on the net - mainly where people have died-

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That's because dead people have loads of time to blog.

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3

I am somewhat doubtful that there are Irukandji jellyfish in Thailand, although there have apparently been some sightings in the Indian Ocean north of Australia. Irukandji jellyfish are overwhelmingly found in tropical Australia and PNG. Yours is the first report I've seen of Irukandji in Thailand so either a misdiagnosis or you were extremely unlucky.

4

here's the story mentioned in reply #1.

I was in Oz at the time, I don't think there had been any Irukandji fatalities up until then. We'd been talking about the increase in cases only a short time before, and my friend said that it was only a question of time before someone died. Little did he know that the first victim would be airlifted to the very hospital he worked at just a few weeks later.

5

I believe Australia it is the deadly "Box" Jellyfish that is so small you don't see them. In Thailand the "mangapoon" is pretty big and visable but not deadly to my knowledge. On the other hand, some people are allergic to the common honey bee.

6

the box jellyfish is related to the irukandji, and it's bigger. As the article says irukandji are small enough to slip through the protective nets you see near population centres in northern Queensland. What's also concerning, or at least was then, is that there is no antidote to irukandji jellyfish stings, unlike box ones.

Box jellyfish stings are more deadly though and if you're not treated immeadiately, you'll probably die. With irukandji, there probably needs to be a pre existing medical condition for their stings to prove fatal.

more info here

7

Hi

there is one report of probable Irukandji in Thai water in the Journal of Travel MedicineVolume 13 Issue 4 Page 240 - July/August 2006.
I have not found anything else in the literature

A couple of other swimmers got stung the same day as I did -but to a lesser extent. There was nothing to see in the water - no jellys as such -I know there is some anecdotal evidence of divers being stung in Thai waters - but I do not have any other info.

Mairead

8

Thai waters? A little more specific if you please. :)

9

yes it could easily have been a Khmer or Burmese jellyfish trying to sneak in. Pesky bastards.

10

Hi. I am posting this on jellyfish related threads as there is lots of debate, questions and unthruths about the box jellyfish in particular. Have recently returned from an overland trip with family (boys 7 & 4) from Vietnam through Cambodia to Thailand. No problems in Vietnam and Cambodia but 2 hours into a week on Koh Mak (just south of Koh Chang) disaster struck.

30 January 2007 on a beautiful sandy beach where others were swimming and snorkeling, our 4 year old was stung by the world's most venomous creature, a box jellyfish, in a foot of water and received massive envenomation. Within seconds his heart and breathing had stopped. Unlike northern Australia where signs, nets, suits, vinegar and anti-venom have kept fatalities down during the stinger season (May/June - November), nothing like this needless to say exists in Thailand (except of course vinegar). Two minutes of hell ensued and after dousing our son with a 3/4 bottle of vinegar the bungalow owner had left in their kitchen he regained consciousness - respected experts in Australia who specialize in studying the chironex fleckeri including marine biologists, toxicologists and a cardiologist all agree that we should thank the heavens for whatever miracle saved our son!

He spent 3 days in Trat hospital and while fine now will have permanent scarring over his legs.

Unlucky he got hit? Possibly, but as subsequent anecdotal evidence revealed there were others that same week, another boy almost drowned in deeper water after a minor sting the year before. This is a tiny island with few tourists. I have discovered that Australian experts are concerned about the box jellyfish in Thailand and indeed throughout SEAsia. Many people get stung and a conservative estimate is that 100-200 die annually in the region as a result (compared to 4-5 worldwide shark attack deaths).

There is no need to panic though and while it's pointless being paranoid and completely unjustified, being prepared I believe is crucial. Having dived, snorkeled and splashed about in SEAsian waters for 20 years I will be much more careful next time particularly with children ensuring that along with our sunscreen and water is a bottle of vinegar, my first aid will be up-to-date, the kids (and more than likely us too though we will all look completely uncool! - though only when getting in/out of the water) will wear stinger suits and I will always ask the locals if there have been any jellyfish sightings or stings recently in that area.

Some people have other disasters on their holiday whether it be motorbike, car, mugging, etc, etc but this was a terrifying reality for my son and us that I would hate anyone else to go through.

Take care and have fun!!