Genus: Hapalochlaena
Toxin: tetrodotoxin (TTX)
Range: Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia
Most injuries occur when a person handles the octopus.
Not all bites from the octopus release toxin ("dry bites"). If venom is released then systemic symptoms occur shortly thereafter.
Clinical findings:
(1) The bite is typically minor and not painful. It may go unnoticed.
(2) Systemic symptoms may occur within a few minutes, starting with numbness in the lips, face and tongue.
(3) Muscle weakness follows, with disturbed speech.
(4) The patient becoming dyspneic as the respiratory muscles are affected.
(5) The patient may vomit. This plus oropharyngeal paralysis can result in airway obstruction.
(6) Cardiac arrest may occur within 15 minutes of the bite.
(7) The patient may drown if he or she is still in the water when systemic symptoms develop.
If symptoms have not developed within 6 hours then it is unlikely the person will develop systemic symptoms.
