Here is an excellent article covering this subject. https://masna.org/masna-education/palytoxin/
For those that prefer summaries, however:
Most cases of exposure were from people who either exposed zoas/palys to hot or boiling water to clean the rocks they were on (aerosolized), used a saw to frag colonies (aerosolized), or touched the zoas/palys with an open cut on their hand (transdermal), or touched them and then rubbed their eyes (transdermal).
If you want zoas/palys in your tank (and most of us do!), staying safe is actually very easy. Don't boil or heat rocks, always wear gloves and eye protection when fragging (Hey, you should be doing this anyway!), don't use a saw to frag, and wear gloves when working in the tank near any of these corals.
And if you have any fresh cuts or open sores on your body, you shouldn't be sticking your hands in the tank anyway. Palytoxins aside, there are many bacteria species in our tanks that can become opportunistic infections if they get into your skin.
For those that prefer summaries, however:
Most cases of exposure were from people who either exposed zoas/palys to hot or boiling water to clean the rocks they were on (aerosolized), used a saw to frag colonies (aerosolized), or touched the zoas/palys with an open cut on their hand (transdermal), or touched them and then rubbed their eyes (transdermal).
If you want zoas/palys in your tank (and most of us do!), staying safe is actually very easy. Don't boil or heat rocks, always wear gloves and eye protection when fragging (Hey, you should be doing this anyway!), don't use a saw to frag, and wear gloves when working in the tank near any of these corals.
And if you have any fresh cuts or open sores on your body, you shouldn't be sticking your hands in the tank anyway. Palytoxins aside, there are many bacteria species in our tanks that can become opportunistic infections if they get into your skin.
