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BFF-19
AUSTRALIA-SCIENCE-NATURE
Aussie scientists find antidote for deadly box jellyfish sting
SYDNEY, May 1, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Australian researchers believe they have
found an antidote to a sting from the world’s most venomous creature, the
much-feared box jellyfish.
Researchers at the University of Sydney had been investigating how the
venom is so deadly that one box jellyfish can kill 60 people.
The team noticed the venom needs cholesterol to kill human cells and
decided to test whether existing drugs could stop it.
“Since there are lots of drugs available that target cholesterol” the team
tried one out, said lead author Raymond Lau.
“It worked,” he said. “It’s a molecular antidote.”
Running tests using human cells and mice, the team found it could stop
tissue scarring and pain associated with the sting as long as the medicine
was injected within 15 minutes.
Stings from box jellyfish — which can be smaller than a fingernail or up
to three metres long depending on the species — can cause acute muscular
pain, violent vomiting, feelings of “impending doom”, hair that stands on
end, strokes, heart failure and death within minutes.
So far they have only tested the sting from the larger, more deadly
species.
“We know the drug will stop the necrosis, skin scarring and the pain
completely when applied to the skin,” said Associate Professor Neely.
“We don’t know yet if it will stop a heart attack. That will need more
research, and we are applying for funding to continue this work.”
The team hopes that eventually a topical cream or spray can be developed
to prevent stings that are thought to kill dozens of people each year and
hospitalise thousands more.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1426 hrs