In an article last month, we've reported an increase in the number of injuries and even fatalities associated with the deadly Australian box jellyfish, which may be directly related to climate change.
We've emphasized how deadly their stings are and in fact, are considered the most venomous creature on earth. One single sting will cause skin necrosis accompanied by excruciating pain and if the dose of the venom is large enough, it can cause cardiac arrest and death in minutes. It has about 60 tentacles that can grow up to three meters long; each tentacle has millions of microscopic hooks filled with venom that a single box jellyfish could carry enough to kill more than 60 adults. Although it is unfortunate that we've also noted the lack of public awareness and the ineffective way that this is being addressed.
Thus, it is of utmost gratefulness that we report that a group of researchers from the University of Sydney has discovered an antidote for their deadly sting. A team of pain researchers at the Charles Perkins Centre at University of Sydney, headed by Associate Professor Greg Neely and Dr. Raymond (Man-Tat) Lau, uncovered an antidote that so long as it is administered within 15 minutes from contact. It is shown to completely block all symptoms, on human cells (outside the body) in particular.
"We were looking at how the venom works, to try to better understand how it causes pain. Using new CRISPR genome editing techniques we could quickly identify how this venom kills human cells. Luckily, there was already a drug that could act on the pathway the venom uses to kill cells, and when we tried this drug as a venom antidote on mice, we found it could block the tissue scarring and pain related to jellyfish stings," said Associate Professor Neely. "It is super exciting."
The team's findings were published in the journal Nature Communications, wherein they were studying how the jellyfish's venom works using CRISPR whole genome editing based on this they were able to identify specific human factors in the human gene that are required for the venom to work. They called it a molecular antidote since they were able to identify the jellyfish venom pathway and in turn block that which directly impacted venom activity.
"It's the first molecular dissection of how this type of venom works, and possible how any venom works," Dr. Lau said. "I haven't seen a study like this for any other venom."According to Professor Neely, they've confirmed that the antidote can stop necrosis, pain, and scarring though they still needed further studies to confirm whether ti could stop a heart attack.
Current treatment for a sting involves dousing the area with vinegar for 30 seconds or running very hot water over the affected area for 20 minutes, and if a major sting is involved, continuous CPR should be done to keep the heart beating.
In the study, they injected the antidote but they're planning on a spray or topical delivery system and are looking to partner with pharmaceutical companies to do so.
