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

Brief description

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 & 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