Sea Sponge Irritation

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Medical Author:

Scott D. Fell, DO, FAAEM

Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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• Sea Sponge Irritation Overview
• Sea Sponge Irritation Symptoms
• Sea Sponge Irritation Treatment
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Author and Editor

Sea sponges are invertebrate marine animals (phylum Ponfera) that have a porous skeleton that contain spicules. They are filter-feeders. Sea sponges grow on shells, stones, or other solid objects on the ocean floor. They are stationary, meaning they do not move on their own. Sea sponges pump water into themselves through tiny pores on their tough outer skin, where microscopic food particles are filtered out. Some sponges can pump up to six gallons of water each day.

Sponges vary in size, shape, and color. Divers who hunt for sea sponges find green, yellow, orange, red, and purple sponges, which are only harvestable if they are at least five inches across. Some sponges, however, can grow up to 6 feet across. They live in temperate, subtropical, and tropical waters. Sea sponges are not aggressive, so human contact is intentional or accidental.

Irritation from sea sponges occurs either due to insertion of the tiny spicules from the sponge itself or due to a sensitivity or allergic reaction to the sponge and its "products." To harvest sponges, divers use gloves, which reduce the contact with excrement, but some of the irritants (spicules or waste products) may pass through certain glove materials or seep into the glove at the wrist.

Sea sponges for sale in stores have been cleaned and do not resemble their living form because all the living tissue has been removed. Only the skeleton remains.

• Initially, a stinging or itchy, prickly sensation is felt.
• Later, burning, pain, blisters, joint swelling, and severe itching may develop.
• In cases with large body exposure to certain sponges, patients may develop, fever, chills, dizziness, muscle cramps and nausea. Severe cases can also develop erythema multiforme, a type of skin condition requiring medical care.

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