From the news that people saw blue-ringed octopus on skewers ready to be grilled and sold in the market, along with warnings that blue-ringed octopuses are dangerous and should not be eaten, สมัคร ufabet Health has information to share about how dangerous blue-ringed octopuses are.
The dangers of blue-ringed octopuses
The blue-ringed octopus is a squid in the genus Hapalochlaena, order Octopus. It is a small squid species with a distinctive coloring of its body, which is a ring-shaped blue or purple spot that can glow when threatened, contrasting with the white or green body.
Blue-ringed octopuses are venomous octopuses that bite or sting their prey to inject venom into their prey’s body. If animals or people come into contact with blue-ringed octopuses, they may be poisoned by the octopus itself.
The blue-ringed octopus has poisonous glands that can bite and release venom. In addition, various parts of its body contain latent venom, so anyone who accidentally eats it can become poisoned.
The blue-ringed octopus’s toxins are produced by bacteria that live in its salivary glands (commonly known as Bacillus and Pseudomonas). Tetrodotoxin and bacteria are also found in the octopus’ eggs.
It is assumed that this is a process of transferring the ability to produce venom from the mother squid to the offspring, and it can be found even from birth.
In Thai waters there is at least one species (out of 3-4 species) of blue-ringed octopus, Hapalochlaena maculosa, which can be found on both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.
The venom glands of this squid are located in the mouth (salivary glands), not distributed throughout the body. People who are poisoned usually get bitten by it, not from touching it. The venom of this squid does not break down when exposed to heat. If cooked and then eaten, it is also dangerous. Therefore, you should never buy it to cook and eat.
In addition, the venom of the blue-ringed octopus is resistant to heat up to 200 degrees, so ordinary grilling cannot reduce the venom of the blue-ringed octopus.
How toxic is the blue-ringed octopus?
The blue-ringed octopus is one of the most venomous aquatic animals in the world, several times more venomous than that of a sea snake and up to 20 times more venomous than that of a cobra. The blue-ringed octopus’s toxin is called tetrodotoxin, the same toxin found in puffer fish, and can cause symptoms in those who are poisoned:
- Can’t breathe
- Muscle weakness
- The diaphragm is immediately paralyzed, preventing air from being drawn into the lungs.
- May die within 2-3 minutes.
How to give first aid when being poisoned by a blue-ringed octopus
First aid must find a way to bring air into the lungs, such as mouth-to-mouth breathing. Then, the patient must be rushed to the doctor immediately to use a ventilator. If resuscitation is successful, the patient will recover normally within 24 hours, unless there is a lack of oxygen for too long until the brain dies.
How to treat a patient who has been poisoned by a blue-ringed octopus
There is no direct cure for the poison of the blue-ringed octopus. People who have been poisoned must be put on a ventilator in the ICU until the poison has dissipated. People with good immunity may survive, but those with weak immunity and their bodies cannot fight it can develop respiratory failure and eventually die.
Therefore, the best prevention is to avoid contact with, or eating, blue-ringed octopuses altogether, and it is best to avoid shops that do not know the origin or type of food they sell.