ciguatera poisoning

ciguatera poisoning

[sē′gwəter′ə]

Etymology: Sp, cigua, sea snail; L, potio, drink

a nonbacterial food poisoning that results from eating fish contaminated with the ciguatoxin. Many of the over 300 varieties of fish from the Caribbean or South Pacific have been implicated; barracuda is a common source. The toxin is believed to block acetylcholinesterase activity. Characteristics of ciguatera poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, tingling or numbness of extremities and the skin around the mouth, itching, muscle weakness, pain, and respiratory paralysis. Cold liquids feel hot to the surfaces of the mouth and throat. No specific treatment has been developed.

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ciguatera poisoning

Nutrition The ciguatera, a coral reef fish that secretes ichthyosarcotoxin–ciguatoxin, a substance produced by the reef dinoflagellate, Gambierdiscus toxicus, and concentrated, unchanged up the food chain by herbivores and carnivores; CP is the most common marine intoxication in the US; 400 spp of fish are implicated–eg, barracuda, grouper, red snapper, amberjack, surgeonfish, sea bass and–unlike scombroid poisoning, may cause morbidity regardless of the form of preparation Clinical Onset 6-12 hrs after ingestion; N&V, cramping, diarrhea, paresthesias, reversal of temperature sense, arthralgias, myalgias, cranial nerve palsies, pruritus with alcohol ingestion, chills, hypotension, bradycardia, respiratory paralysis or death, average duration 8 days Diagnosis RIA, ELISA Treatment IV mannitol reverses Sx. See Fish, Sushi. Cf Scombroid poisoning.