Journal of Public Health Advance Access originally published online on October 18, 2006
Journal of Public Health 2006 28(4):343-346; doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdl064
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Tropical fish poisoning in temperate climates: food poisoning from ciguatera toxin presenting in Avonmouth
Ruth Kipping, Public Health Specialist Trainee1
Howard Eastcott, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control Chemical and Environmental Health Hazards2
Joyshri Sarangi, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control3
1 South Gloucestershire PCT, No. 1 Monarch Court, Emerald Park, Emersons Green, South Gloucestershire BS16 7FH, UK
2 Health Protection Agency South East, Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn, London WC1V 7PP, UK
3 Avon Health Protection Team, King Square House, King Square, Bristol BS2 8EE, UK
Address correspondence to Ruth Kipping, E-mail: rrkipping{at}yahoo.co.uk
Ciguatera toxin causes a range of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and neurological symptoms that occur within 16 h of ingesting fish with the toxin and can last for days, months or years. It is a well-recognized problem in the tropics. Avon Health Protection Team investigated food poisoning on a ship at Avonmouth, which was thought by the crew to be related to a white snapper fish from the Caribbean. The symptoms were initially thought to be scombroid fish poisoning but were consistent with ciguatera fish poisoning. Cases of fish poisoning from fish imported from the Caribbean and Pacific or travellers returning from tropical countries may be ciguatera fish poisoning, but mistakenly diagnosed as scombroid fish poisoning.
Keywords: ciguatera, ciguatera toxin, fish poisoning, scombroid fish poisoning