lifespan of active nematocysts?

[merxlin]

I spent a week in Little Cayman. After rinsing my gear (over night fresh water soak and rinse) and letting it dry, I packed it away. The next day I had a stinging/burning feeling at the tip of my index finger. I thought it was a spider bite. During the coarse of the day it swelled up and turned red (not intense red and only covering about 1/2 of my fingertip) and was sensitive to the touch. It ended up developing a blister underneath, which never broke and went away in a few days, although the spot is still sensitive. Mid week, I had to take my reg in for service, and the next day i noticed a small spot that feels very similar to the first one on my thumb and another finger. These never blistered and only show as very small red spots, but are slightly painful and sensitive to touch. They feel like when you accidentally stab yourself with a very fine piece of wire.

I suspect I may have inadvertently picked up cells from a soft coral during a dive, and may have basically stung myself while storing the gear. I'm surprised though since the gear was fresh water rinsed and air dried for 3-4 days. Do the nematocysts from coral live that long? I only suspect this as the spots occurred within a few hours after handling my gear, with no other possible cause that I can remember.

 

[Saturation]

I spent a week in Little Cayman. After rinsing my gear (over night fresh water soak and rinse) and letting it dry, I packed it away. The next day I had a stinging/burning feeling at the tip of my index finger. I thought it was a spider bite. During the coarse of the day it swelled up and turned red (not intense red and only covering about 1/2 of my fingertip) and was sensitive to the touch. It ended up developing a blister underneath, which never broke and went away in a few days, although the spot is still sensitive. Mid week, I had to take my reg in for service, and the next day i noticed a small spot that feels very similar to the first one on my thumb and another finger. These never blistered and only show as very small red spots, but are slightly painful and sensitive to touch. They feel like when you accidentally stab yourself with a very fine piece of wire.

I suspect I may have inadvertently picked up cells from a soft coral during a dive, and may have basically stung myself while storing the gear. I'm surprised though since the gear was fresh water rinsed and air dried for 3-4 days. Do the nematocysts from coral live that long? I only suspect this as the spots occurred within a few hours after handling my gear, with no other possible cause that I can remember.

Stings from various sources: fire coral, jellyfish etc., are often dead once they penetrate the body but the body reacts to the sting. It first appears as a itchy red mark, then may develop a clear collection of fluid, then swollen area etc., as the body reacts to the foreign substance and neutralizes it. To minimize the reaction, the stinger has to be destroyed as soon as possible, so the body reacts to much less a foreign body. Depending on the stinger, strictly speaking either vinegar or ammonia will do it. However, in most cases its unknown what stinger it is, in which case I always use a mixture of vinegar and ammonia ... may the best chemical win.