Allergy to corals?

[Micky V. Schoelzke]

Hello to the list,

I have a question that some people on the list may be able to answer. I
have, like all people
involved in coral physiology studies, been crushing up, boiling and
"water-picking" coral samples. Once, I have been stung by a jellyfish (A
mediterranean Noctiluca) and had a strong reaction to it (cold sweating,
shivering, headache, nausea). The next day, I cleaned the coral tanks I
was working on (Stylophora pistillata) and my arms became very swollen,
red and I felt I was going to pass out. After that, I had to wear gloves
to handle coral samples and crush them up for analysis. Only the smell
of broken corals made me sneeze and my eyes became irritated. I was
wondering if the jellyfish sting had something to do with the reaction:
if yes, it would be the Cnidarian venom that was the cause of the whole
thing. Maybe some researchers of the list would have details about the
physiological resaons for that or would have had the same problem. As
even a sting from a very small jellyfish triggers the reaction (and all
you people you have been night-diving know that it is not easy to avoid
small zooplancton jellys), I would be interested to know if there would
be a cure...

thanks for your answers, feedback and advices,

Micky Schoelzke
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