ISSN: 2161-0495
+44 1478 350008
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, United States of America
Case Report
Hepatotoxic Effects of Acanthaster planci Envenomation: A Rare Case with Review of Literature on Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Sting
Author(s): Muhammad Z Arif*, Dania Afzal, Sebastian Hernandez, James F Holmes and Timothy E Albertson
Introduction: Acanthaster planci (crown-of-thorns starfish) is a known coral reef predator found in tropical waters.
Despite increasing human encounters, there is limited documentation on the hepatotoxic effects of Acanthaster planci
(A. planci) envenomation. We present a rare case of hepatotoxicity following envenomation, contributing to the scarce
literature.
Case summary: A 70-year-old male presented with immediate sharp pain after brushing against the crown of an A. planci during a scuba diving trip in Moorea Island, French Polynesia. Initial evaluation in a local Emergency
Department (ED) revealed febrile convulsive episodes, and the patient was subsequently discharged. He was
readmitted with elevated liver enzymes Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) 650 U/L, Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)
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DOI:
10.35248/2161-0495.24.14.575