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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffJellyfish stings are a common nuisance to swimmers and divers. With trailing tentacles that contain thousands of tiny barbed stingers, jellyfish are found in all of the world's oceans. Jellyfish stings range from mild to severe. Some jellyfish are very poisonous and even small stings can cause severe pain and irritation, while other jellyfish are harmless to humans. Most jellyfish stings get better with home treatment, but some types of jellyfish stings can be more severe and require medical treatment. In rare cases, jellyfish stings that are widespread or from certain species of jellyfish can be life-threatening.
- Auerbach PS. Coelenterates (phylum cnidaria). In: Auerbach PS. Wilderness Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/130188592-5/0/1483/697.html?tocnode=54238549&fromURL=697.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03228-5..50078-1--cesec12_4348. Accessed April 8, 2009.
- Habif TP. Dermatitis associated with swimming. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/130180167-5/826280175/1195/100.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01319-8..50017-0--cesec183_1929. Accessed April 8, 2009.
- Tomaszewski C. Cnidarians. In: Ford M. Clinical Toxicology. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders, 2001. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/130181356-6/826283435/1013/1035.html#4-u1.0-B0-7216-5485-1..50126-2--cesec2_3401. Accessed April 8, 2009.
- Marcus EN. Jellyfish stings. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 8, 2009.
- Gateley A, et al. Marine toxic envenomation. In: Noble J, et al., eds. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2001. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/130182664-4/0/959/601.html?tocnode=51449151&fromURL=601.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-00828-3..50099-6--cesec26_2882. Accessed April 8, 2009.
