Venomous Jellyfish Database (Sting events and specimen samples - March 2017) (NESP TWQ 2.2.3, CSIRO)

A later version of this dataset exists published 2019-01-18, accessible through the data links on this page.

This dataset contains records of sting events and specimen samples of jellyfish (Irukandji) along the north Queensland coast from December 1998 to March 2017. This dataset contains an extract (265 records in CSV format) of the publicly available data contained in the Venomous Jellyfish Database. The full database contains approximately 3000 sting events from around Australia and includes records from sources that have not yet been cleared for release.

This extract was made for eAtlas as part of the 2.2.3 NESP Irukandji forecasting system project and used as part of the development of the Irukandji forecasting model. The data was compiled from numerous sources (noted in each record), including Lisa-ann Gershwin and media reports. 

The sting data includes primary information such as date, time of day and locality of stings, as well as secondary details such as age and gender of the sting victim, where on the body they were stung, their activity at the time of the sting and their general medical condition.

Limitations:

This data shows the occurrence of reported jellyfish stings and specimens along the north Queensland coast. It does NOT provide a prediction of where jellyfish or jellyfish sting events may occur.

These records represent a fraction of known sting events and specimen collections, with more being added to the list of publicly available data as permissions are granted.

Historical data dates may be coarse, showing month and year that the sting occurred in. Some events have date only.

Methods:

This data set contains information on sting events and specimen collections that have occurred around Australia, which involved venomous jellyfish (Irukandji syndrome-producing species in the genera Carukia, Malo, Morbakka). 

This data was collected over numerous years by Lisa-ann Gershwin from various sources, predominantly news reports. This data was entered into an Excel spreadsheet, which formed the basis of the Venomous Jellyfish Database. This database was developed as part of the 2.2.3 NESP Irukandji forecasting system project. 

Some data have been standardised, e.g., location information and sting site on the body. Data available to the public have been approved by the data owners, or came from a public source (e.g. newspaper reports, media alerts).

Format:

Comma Separated Value (CSV) table. eAtlas Note: The original database extract was provided as an Excel spreadsheet table. This was converted to a CSV file.

Data Dictionary:



CSIRO_ID: Unique id

EVENT_TYPE: Type of event – sting or specimen

STATE:    State in which event occurred

REGION: Broader region of State the event occurred in

LOCAL_GOV_AREA: Local government area that the event occurred in – if known

MAIN_LOCALITY: Main locality that the event occurred in

SITE_INFO: Site details/comments

YEAR: Year event occurred

MONTH: Month event occurred

DAY: Day of the month the event occurred

EVENT_TIME: Time the event occurred HH24:MI If time is unknown then NULL

EVENT_RECORDED: time/date event reported e.g. early afternoon, morning, on weekend

EVENT_COMMENTS: Comments about the event

LAT: Latitude in decimal degrees

LON: Longitude in decimal degrees

LOCATION_ACCURACY: How accurate the location is

EVENT_OFFSHORE_ONSHORE: Where the event occurred (if known) – beach, island, reef

LOCATION_COMMENTS: Comments relating to the location of the event

WATER_DEPTH_M: Depth of water, in metres, that the event occurred in (if known)

AGE: Age of patient if known

SEX: Gender of patient if known

HOME: Home state/county of patient

HOSPITAL: Hospital the patient was treated at (if known)

STING_SITE_REPORTED: Reported sting site on the body

STING_SITE_BODY: Standardised area on body that sting was reported – upper limb, lower limb etc.

NUMBER_STINGS: Number of stings recorded, if known

VISIBLE_STING: The nature of visible sting marks, if reported

PPE_WORN: Was Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) worn? 

PATIENT_COMMENTS: Comments about the patient

TIME_TO_ONSET: Delay between sting and onset of symptoms, if reported

PATIENT_CONDITION: State the patient was in, e.g. distressed, calm, stable

BLOOD_PRESSURE: Comments relating to blood pressure of the patient

NAUSEA_VOMITING: Did the patient experience nausea and/or vomiting?

PAIN: Location and/or intensity of pain experienced by the patient

SWEATING: Did the patient experience sweating?

TREATMENT: What treatment the patient was given

DISCHARGED: When the patient was discharged from hospital

ONGOING_SYMPTOMS: What ongoing symptoms the patient is experiencing

NEMATO_SAMPLES: Were nematocyst samples taken? 

SPECIES_NAME: Species name, if determined

PATROL: Was the sting on a patrolled beach

CURATOR: Where the data came from e.g. Gershwin = Lisa-ann Gershwin

DATA_CODE: Access constraint on data

REFERENCE: Source of the information for event

ENTERED_BY: Who entered the data

ENTERED_DATE: When the data was entered


References:

Gershwin, L. (2013). Stung! On Jellyfish Blooms and the Future of the Ocean. Chicago, University of Chicago Press.

Lisa-Ann Gershwin , Monica De Nardi , Kenneth D. Winkel &amp; Peter J. Fenner (2010) Marine Stingers: Review of an Under-Recognized Global Coastal Management Issue, Coastal Management, 38:1, 22-41, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08920750903345031

Gershwin L, Condie SA, Mansbridge JV, Richardson AJ. 2014 Dangerous jellyfish blooms are predictable. J. R. Soc. Interface 11: 20131168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2013.1168

Gershwin, L., A. J. Richardson, K. D. Winkel, P. J. Fenner, J. Lippmann, R. Hore, G. Avila-Soria, D. Brewer, R. J. Kloser, A. Steven and S. Condie (2013). Biology and ecology of Irukandji jellyfish (Cnidaria: Cubozoa). Advances in Marine Biology 66: 1-85.

Data Location:

This dataset is filed in the eAtlas enduring data repository at: data\custodian\2016-18-NESP-TWQ-2\2.2.3_Jellyfish-early-warning\AU_NESP-TWQ-2-2-3_CSIRO_Venomous-Jellyfish-DB

Organization: Australian Ocean Data Network