Jellyfish stings in Western Mediterranean beaches: epidemiology and analysis of tourist perception may support the improvement of local adaptation policy and the adoption of countermeasures in coastal areas

Abstract

Within the framework of the LIFE CuboMed and Med-Jellyrisk projects, a retrospective study on the epidemiology of jellyfish stings -based on datasets of beach lifeguard stations- was carried out along the Spanish Mediterranean and Maltese beaches. This study aimed to identify best practices and opportunities for injury reduction, leading to substantial improvements in touristic experience. The cooperation with local authorities and lifeguard volunteers allowed the gathering of information on lifeguard assistance from the beaches of 183 out of the 234 coastal cities along the Mediterranean Spanish coasts, from late June to the beginning of September 2012. A total of 176,021 injuries were reported, with jellyfish stings ranking as the main lifeguard assistance category (66%). Jellyfish stings were the prevailing assistance category also in Malta, for the 2011-2015 summer seasons, being responsible on average for 51% of all lifeguard assistance calls. A complementary study was carried out in summer 2012 and 2013 to detect the stinging jellyfish impact on human health at the Italian island of Lampedusa in the Sicily Channel. A total of 1,000 tourists were directly interviewed over the two years. The jellyfish impact was higher in 2013, with up to 33% of respondents being stung by jellyfish. More than 60% of the stung bathers adopted self-medication, preferring ammonia to alcohol, water, vinegar, cortisone or ice. Effective preventive and mitigation strategies will require targeted planning and monitoring of health services and lifeguard stations at tourist hot spots, possibly implemented through a real-time web tool at local, national, and basin-wide levels