moray eel bite

[ssbrix]

Not looking for validation. I read all these accidents just for education and preparedness. This was a while back and I am healed never had any redness or problem. I was more worried about the (fresh) water on the boat than the atlantic. I was about a foot off the reef when it shot out and got me. I barely saw it. I bled green also at 60 ft. That freaked me out for a second. I am a mountain biker and am used to dealing with dirty wounds. Nothing like cleaning road rash in the shower with a washcloth.



Now I'll admit that was my last dive of first saltwater dive vacation. I'm a hick from Arkansas. Round here we just spit terbaccy on it and get a snort of moonshine.

 

[chrpai]

Was I stupid to continue the dive? aside from possible infection.

You asked the question. Your responses since have indicated you don't really want an answer other then affirmation.

 

[peterbj7]

you don't really want an answer other then affirmation.

I think that's unfair. He made a snap decision on the spot - he had to - and now he's wondering if it was the right one or whether he could have done something better. What's wrong with that?

 

[chrpai]

That's fine, but the way I read it he then followed up with a bunch of reasons minimalizing the situation.

The way I see it, when I call my dad up and ask him "Did I do the right think?" I listen. I don't start countering with "oh but it was only..."

I either want his advice or I don't.

 

[drrich2]

We had been told no sharks had been seen in the area and the largest predator we saw was the moray. Was I stupid to continue the dive? aside from possible infection.

Since you specifically mentioned sharks, and asked about reasons aside from infection risk, were you concerned that the smell of blood might draw in a shark or some other predator (e.g.: big moray eel, barracuda, etc...)?

Richard.

 

[Quero]

Getting topside wouldn't have sped up medical treatment because dive buddies were dropped off in pairs a distance apart. arriving at dock I went to emergency room got stitched and antibiotic shot.

If by "medical treatment" you only mean "going to the doctor" maybe not, but actually medical treatment starts with first aid, and you certainly could have got first aid sooner if you had surfaced, cleaned the wound (if only with moonshine, terbaccy, and a rough washcloth in fresh water, LOL), and stopped exposing it to further contamination in the ocean. I no longer poo-poo the potential for serious infection deriving from marine microbes since one of my sons was infected by a marine vibrio that entered through a mosquito bite. He needed to have necrotized tissue excised weeks after the infection when it couldn't be controlled otherwise. Now, one may argue that this represents a rare instance, but I would counter that so does an unprovoked moray bite. I would have surfaced and performed first-aid treatment of the wound until I could return to shore and see a doctor.

Infections caused by halophilic marine Vibrio bacteria.

Excerpts from the above article abstract, emphasis mine:

The authors reviewed patients who developed sepsis or soft tissue infections caused by marine Vibrio bacteria in Florida. Marine Vibrio bacteria are the most common bacteria found in seawater.
These bacteria can cause gastroenteritis, sepsis, cellulitis leading to necrotizing soft tissue infection after exposure to seawater or consumption of raw seafood.
The authors received 182 systemic infections that occurred in Florida between January 1, 1979, and December 31, 1991, which were treated by the authors or were reported to the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.
Seventy-one patients had been exposed to these bacteria by eating raw seafood, 94 had direct exposure to seawater, and exposure was uncertain in 27 patients.
In patients in whom it could be determined, 93 had primary soft tissue infections and 82 had primary bacteremia. Twenty-four patients had necrotizing soft tissue infections and required surgical debridement. Three of these 24 patients required amputation. Thirty-seven (20.3%) patients died. Severe liver disease occurred in 54 patients and 25 of these patients died.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Not to mention that just because no one has seen a shark(s) doesn't mean there are none in the area. Sheesh.

Just me, but wouldn't want to be freely or freshly bleeding in the ocean, infection aside. Otherwise, agree with Quero as to why one should get out of the water after a moray bite . . . a moray bite!! Are you kidding? I've a good friend that almost lost his arm that way.

 

[Johnoly]

.... molest animal life with your spear...

I'm feeling your love for spearo's like me. But let's try to help the original poster with some buying suggestions that he and others can actually use to be safer. I also get bit by eels 2,3, or 4 times a year as I'm reaching into holes to bug hunt. I wear some very economical, hospital medical waste gloves that are 'needle stick proof'. Since wearing them, I still get bit, but it doesn't get through to my palm, bleed or hurt.

They are Hex Amor 9003 gloves <<click) and run about $25 bucks found easily around the web to buy. You can take your dive knife and stab yourself in the hand and it won't bleed. Just awesome for lionfish hunting too!

You may hate spearo's but they, (especially DD) are the 1st ones to get on the water when a diver is lost and search.

 

[chrpai]

I don't hate "spearo's" at all. You want to kill and eat something, I'm all for that. But I don't support poking at an eel that you have no intention of eating.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I don't hate "spearo's" at all. You want to kill and eat something, I'm all for that. But I don't support poking at an eel that you have no intention of eating.

The eel, most certainly had been fed multiple times by divers. I few gentle pokes were delivered and they were insufficient to motivate it to retreat to his hole and instead followed us for hundreds of feet down the reef.

If you want to find fault in this situation, it should be directed to the people that must have been feeding it.