Palytoxin poisoning after dermal contact with zoanthid coral

Abstract

Background: Palytoxin is most commonly reported after ingestion of seafood. We report a case of palytoxin poisoning from dermal absorption with local toxicity from zoanthid coral in a patient with intact skin.

Case report: A 25-year-old previously healthy woman handled a zoanthid coral from a home aquarium without any barrier protection. The patient manifested neurologic symptoms of perioral paresthesia and dysguesia. In addition, there was local dermatologic toxicity that persisted for several days. The patient was treated supportively with corticosteroids and a histamine antagonist.

Conclusion: We report a case of palytoxin poisoning from dermal absorption after handling a zoanthid coral. Palytoxin is a potent marine toxin that affects the sodium-potassium ATPase (adenosinetriphosphatase) pump and can cause multiple clinical effects, including paresthesia, dysguesia, hypertension, respiratory depression, coma, and death.