POISONOUS

ORGANISM

Assessment 1

DR SORAYA ISMAIL
MBBCh, BAO, BA, PhD
Dept of Basic Medical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Medicine, IIUM

Copyright submitted, awaiting MyIPO registration number

Question 1
What is the definition of toxin?

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Question 2
What is the function of toxin in animals?
i
ii

Question 3
Compare and contrast poisoning and envenomation, and give examples of
poisonous and venomous animals / organism

Poisoning Envenomation
Mode of entry
Method of
poisoning or
envenomation
Severity
Examples of
organism
 Question 4

Getty Images/iStockphoto. Downloaded on 2 January 2021

a) What is the common name and class of this venomous marine organism?

b) Where is the toxin of this organism located?

c) What type of toxin is found in this venomous organism?

d) How does this organism inject its venom into its prey/victim?

e) What are the clinical presentations observed when humans are exposed to the venom?

Common sign & symptom Severe sign & symptom

f) What is the first aid treatment following exposure to the toxin of this venomous
organism?

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Question 5

A
B

Figure A: Venomous sea snail. Image
credit: By Richard Ling - Own work;
Location: Cod Hole, Great Barrier Reef,
Australia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://
commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curi
d=293495. Downloaded on 3 January 2021
Figure B: Venomous sea snail with
proboscis extended and poised for attack.
Image credit: AAP Image / Melbourne
University / David Paul. Downloaded on 3
January 2021

a) Name the Genus and species of this venomous marine organism.

b) What type of toxin does this organism produce?

c) How does this organism inject its venom into its prey/victim?

d) What are the clinical presentations if human is exposed to the venom?

Question 6

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay. Downloaded on 3 January 2021

a) What is the common name of this venomous marine organism?

b) What type of toxin does this organism produce?

c) Where can you find the toxin of this organism?

d) What are the signs and symptoms of envenomation?

Question 7

Image by Kevin Yi from Pixabay. Downloaded on 3 January 2021

a) What is the common name of this venomous marine organism?

b) What type of toxin does this organism produce?

c) Where can you find the toxin of this organism?

d) How does the toxin enter human?

 Question 8

Image by Josch13 from Pixabay. Downloaded on 3 January 2021

a) Fill in the blanks:

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Common name

b) How does the toxin come in contact with human?

a) What irritant toxic chemicals are found in the toxin?

c) What are the effects of toxin on human?

 Question 9

Image by Steviamint from Pixabay. Downloaded on 3 January 2021

a) Fill in the blanks:

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Common name

b) How does the toxin come in contact with human?

c) What type of toxin is present in the venom?

d) What is the effect of toxin on human?

Question 10: Fact sheet

a) Hairless caterpillar

Image by 631372 from Pixabay. Downloaded on 3 January 2021

Fact: The ‘hairless’ caterpillar has mild toxin on the ‘skin’ which can cause contact
dermatitis if human come in contact with it. However, the ‘hairless’ caterpillar is
poisonous if eaten by another animal.

b) Hairy caterpillar

Image by Krzysztof Niewolny from Pixabay. Downloaded on 3 January 2021

Fact: The ‘hairy’ caterpillar has toxins at the hairs. When these hairs/spines come in contact
with human skin, it can cause contact dermatitis: itch & urticaria rash. If hairs/spines
come in contact with eye, it can cause severe eye irritation & conjunctivitis.
Caterpillars in Malaysia hardly cause fatality. However, there are caterpillars in other
parts of the world which can cause fatality.
Question 11

A B

Image by Murphy Chen from Pixabay. Figure B. Blisters resulting by smashing a

Downloaded on 3 January 2021
single blister beetle on the neck. While
uncomfortable, no medical treatment was
implemented and the blisters soon diminished
on their own. Photograph by Samuel Grubb.
Downloaded on 3 January 2021.
(http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/me
dical/blister_beetles.htm.)

a) Name the Order of this poisonous organism.

b) What is the common name for this arthropod?

c) What is the agent which causes the blister?

d) How does the toxin come in contact with human?

e) What is the effect of toxin on human?

Question 12

Taken from: https://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/communications/publications/agmag/

archive/2010/fall/balancing-benefits-and-damage-from-fire-ants-in-pastures Downloaded
on 4th January 2021. (Photo by Michael A. Seymour)

a) Fill in the blanks:

Kingdom

Phylum

Class

Order

Superfamily

Genus

b) How is the toxin delivered into human?

c) Does this insect sting once or repeatedly?

d) What is the chemical found in the venom?

e) What is the effect of toxin on humans?

Question 13

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay. Downloaded on 4th January 2021

a) Fill in the blanks:

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Superfamily
Genus

b) Name TWO Genus and species of this venomous organism

i
ii

c) Does this insect sting once or repeatedly?

d) What are the proteins and compounds present in bee venom?

e) What are the clinical presentations if human is exposed to the venom?

e) What is the first aid treatment for exposure to this venomous organism?
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Question 14

The venom component of this insect is similar to that of bee venom. Taken from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vespa_affinis,_Thailand.jpg. Photo by
Maluco1968, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Downloaded on 4th January 2021

a) Fill in the blanks:

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species (name TWO)
Common name

b) Does this insect sting once or repeatedly?

c) What are the clinical presentations if human is exposed to the venom?

Question 15

Based on your lecture notes, answer the questions below.

Taken from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Latrodectus_hesperus_Berkeley,

California.jpg. Image by Ken-ichi Ueda, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Downloaded on 4 January 2021

a. Name the Genus & species of the spider in Figure A:

Taken from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Loxosceles_reclusa.jpg. Image by

John C. Stennis Space Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).,
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Downloaded on 4 January 2021

b. Name the Genus & species of the spider in Figure B:

 C

Taken from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brown_widow_spider_Latrodectus_

geometricus_underside.jpg. Image by Mfield, Matthew Field, http://www.photography.
mattfield.com, GFDL 1.2, via Wikimedia Commons. Downloaded on 4 January 2021

c. Name the Genus & species of the spider in Figure C:

d. How does the spider toxin enter human?

e. What are the clinical presentations if human is exposed to the toxin?

f. Type of toxin?
Question 16

Image by 41330 from Pixabay. Downloaded on 6th January 2021

a) Fill in the blanks

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Common name

b) Where is the toxin located?

c) How does the toxin come in contact with human?

d) What is the nature of toxin present in scorpion venom?

e) What are the clinical presentations if human is exposed to the toxin?