Toxicity of zoos and palys
 

Wasnt sure where to post this
Lasr Friday I was scraping off some hitchhiked zoo or paly's not sure. I kept gloved hands and wore glasses but no mask and the odor was very strong.
I wound up having extreme difficulty breathing and have pneumonia like symptoms the following day that did not go away. I was in bed with fever and chills for two days. It is flu season here in the northeast but I have not had one put me down like this one did.
Coincidences or could it have contributed?
I went to my doctor Monday morning and did not mention the zoo thing to her.

I would say coincedence. The articles that I have read say that the toxins would enter via open wound.. not become airborne

Thanks for your help dsn112

i would mention it to her, i remember a thread on here a while ago, its very serious and i would call the dr asap and get a opinion,

I'd mention it to her. The palytoxin in zoas aren't something you want to mess with.

I agree, they arent something to take lighty. There was a guy who's dog drank out of a bucket that had zoos in it, the dog died from them. Even though they are very small compared to us, they pack a punch. Everyone handles the reactions differently while some never have a reaction to them.

I wear goggles or safety glasses as I have been squirted in the eye when handling zoos

Coincidence. You would probably not get those symptoms from palyoxin poisoning. Also, the threat from palytoxin is vastly overstated on these boards. I am not saying it isnt real, I do wear gloves when fragging zoos, but many people on here make a bigger deal about it than need be though.

It is the most poisonous known organic toxin according to the sticky in the zoa forums. That said, I've never known anyone to die to it or get more than an obnoxious rash. I agree with Rich that it is vastly overstated, but not something I would mess with personally. Gloves and goggles.

Agreed on this being a coincidence and that the risk is overstated. You can't just breathe the toxin in unless you turn it into a mist first. It's a huge molecule (so it's not volatile) and you have to either get it in an open wound or on a mucous membrane to be harmed by it.