Outbreak of jellyfish stings on the Chabahar Coasts of Iran and investigation of its environmental causes Dehghani Rouhullah2, Varzandeh Masoomeh1, Akbari Marzieh2, Keyhani Sara2, Firoozeh Seyedmahdi Takht* Centennial College, Scarborough, Ontario, M1C 4Z4, Canada 1Department of Clinical Toxicology and Poisoning, Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman 2Social Determinants of Health Research Center and Environment Health Department Health Faculty, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran *Corresponding authors' E-mail : stakhtfi@my.centennialcollege.ca
Online published on 20 December, 2024. Abstract This study examines the potential environmental causes of jellyfish occurrence. This is a retrospective descriptive-analytical study that, given the recent outbreaks of jellyfish stings in Iran and similar events worldwide, as per available reports, examines the potential environmental causes in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea and analyzes the environmental factors. According to the report during the new year 2023, more than 550 cases of jellyfish stings were reported on the Chabahar coast within about two weeks. Hundreds of jellyfish carcasses have been observed on the coasts. According to reports, jellyfish have been approaching the Makran coasts every year, so that swimmers are affected by stings. Various human factors such as salinization of water due to desalination plants, increased oil pollution due to the discharge of tanker water, habitat alteration due to the construction of marine facilities, the entry of factory effluents and raw sewage or wastewater, increased turbidity, dissolved oxygen levels, and human factors such as water pollution, Trawling fishing of aquatic organisms, and the reduction of jellyfish predators are among the possible reasons for the increase in the jellyfish population and human encounters with swimmers and their stinging. Top Keywords Environmental causes, Jellyfish sting, Oman sea, Persian gulf, Water pollution. Top |