Millepora species (Fire Coral) Sting: A Case Report and Review of Recommended Management

Abstract

Fire corals (Millepora spp) are the second most common reef-forming organisms and are frequently found in tropical and subtropical waters. Fire corals are not true corals but rather hydrozoans more closely related to jellyfish and sea nettles. Rigidly affixed to the reef and with a branching structure, each fire coral is a colony of numerous individual hydrozoans forming a collective symbiotic organism. It is common for divers to accidentally make contact with fire corals. Fire coral contact is characterized by the immediate onset of burning pain caused by venom discharge from numerous tiny nematocysts located externally on the creature. Treatment consists of saltwater irrigation of the wound, nematocyst removal, and supportive care of the associated symptoms of pain, dermatitis, and pruritus. Rarely, fire coral can cause systemic toxicity. We present a case report of a 30-y-old recreational diver who experienced a fire coral sting of her left anterior thigh and review the recommended prevention and management of fire coral stings.

Keywords: Millepora; fire coral; marine envenomation; marine medicine.