Scientists are helping researchers in Cuba find dangerous toxins in marine algae that can lead to outbreaks from contaminated seafood.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been building capacity for monitoring ciguatera using nuclear and isotopic techniques to identify seafood biotoxins.
Ciguatoxins are a class of algal toxins. They enter the food chain by consuming Ciguatoxin-containing algae by fish and shellfish and accumulating in larger predatory fish. 
Ciguatera poisoning (CP) is caused by consumption of fish that have accumulated ciguatoxins in their flesh. CP is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Caribbean Sea. Isolated outbreaks have occurred sporadically in Europe but with an increasing frequency in temperate areas like the Canary Islands, Spain.
CP is not under routine surveillance in the European Union (EU), but unexpected, potentially serious cross-border biological threats to health are monitored by ECDC [1]. Cases are usually not notified in national surveillance systems but may be reported to national poisoning centres.
Ciguatoxins (CTXs) are temperature-stable, so they are not destroyed by cooking or by freezing the fish. Furthermore, the toxins are colourless, odourless, and flavourless, which make it impossible to taste or smell them [2,3].
CP is caused by the consumption of herbivorous fish that feed on toxic microalgae (Gambierdiscus spp. and Fukuyoa spp.), which are attached to macrophytes or dead corals, and from carnivorous fish that have consumed toxic herbivorous fish [3,4].
Over 400 known fish species from tropical and subtropical waters have been classified as potential carriers of CTXs. Examples of the fish most frequently associated with cases of CP include barracuda, grouper, amberjack, snapper, moray eel, hogfish, mackerel, surgeonfish, and parrotfish. Greater severity of illness is associated with eating fish head or organs. It is therefore advisable to avoid consuming visceral organs, roe (fish eggs), and carcasses (e.g. heads, eyes, and bones) of these fish species [4-6].
Person-to-person transmission of CTXs is extremely rare, but transmission of toxin from mother to child during breastfeeding or across the placenta, as well as during sexual intercourse, has been described [6-10].
Intoxication of humans occurs via consumption of fish containing CTXs. In humans, CTXs activate voltage-gated sodium channels in cell membranes, increasing sodium ion permeability and depolarizing the nerve cell. Clinical presentation varies according to the individual characteristics and the geographical origin of the CTXs. Gastrointestinal symptoms can precede or accompany neurological symptoms, which usually appear two to 48 hours after eating the contaminated fish. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, paraesthesia of lips, tongue and extremities, cold allodynia (burning pain caused by a normally innocuous cold stimulus), a metallic taste in the mouth, arthralgia, myalgia, pruritus without urticaria or erythema, muscle weakness, blurred vision, painful intercourse, hypotension, and bradycardia [4,8,11].
Cold allodynia is characteristic of CP, although it is not present in all patients. Neurological symptoms usually resolve within weeks, although some symptoms can last for months. Recurrent symptoms can occur following the ingestion of certain food or beverages such as alcohol, nuts, or non-toxic fish. CP is rarely fatal, but death can occur in severe cases due to severe dehydration, cardiovascular shock, or respiratory failure [4,8,11].
According to a study, an outbreak of ciguatera poisoning from contaminated fish affected 19 people on a ship in Australia.
The food poisoning outbreak was reported to the Central Queensland Public Health Unit in December 2021.
A bulk carrier sailing from Higashiharima, Japan, to Gladstone, Australia, reported an incident of sudden illness, with 19 of 20 sailors on board having a combination of gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms.
All 20 sailors consumed a self-caught barracuda and squid prepared by the ship’s cook the day before. Leftover samples of the fish and squid were sent for testing. According to the study published in the journal Communicable Diseases Intelligence, the barracuda sample contained ciguatoxins.
The United States is to lead work on a document covering the prevention or reduction of ciguatera poisoning.
The plan was given the go-ahead at a recent Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods meeting.
An electronic working group, chaired by the U.S. and co-chaired by France, Spain, and Panama, will work on a proposed code of practice or guidelines for consideration at the next meeting of the committee in 2024.
In 2022, the committee established a working group chaired by the U.S. and co-chaired by the European Union to prepare a discussion paper on the topic.
Generally, codes of practice provide practical guidance or measures to reduce or prevent a hazard in food, while a guideline gives higher-level principles and approaches to addressing a particular issue.
Posted in Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk
The Vanuatu Ministry of Health reports that from January 1 to March 19, 27 ciguatera fish poisoning cases were recorded, all were clinically diagnosed.
The cases were distributed as follows: Seventeen (17) cases from Efate, 6 cases from Maewo, 2 cases from Ambrym, 1 from Ambae, 1 from Pentecost and 1 from Santo.
No deaths have been recorded.
From the cases reported, 69% of the cases consumed reef fish – not specified, 16 consumed Snapper and 15% consumed grouper.
More than 400 species of fish, including barracuda, black grouper, blackfin snapper, cubera snapper, dog snapper, greater amberjack, hogfish, horse-eye jack, king mackerel, and yellowfin grouper have been implicated in this food borne illness that’s relatively common in several areas of the world.
Posted in Algal Toxin, Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, Decontamination Microbial, Dinoflagellates, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Toxin, Marine Biotoxin, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Toxin
A project looking at the surveillance and control of ciguatera poisoning in Europe has been given a second edition.
A launch meeting for EuroCigua II was attended this past week by representatives of 11 organizations involved in food safety and public health from five European countries.
Partners include the Spanish Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Canary Islands Health Service (SCS), the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Portuguese Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE), and Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
Also participating in the three-year effort are the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), European Environment Agency of the European Commission, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and experts from research groups in the United States and Japan.
Posted in Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk
To help FDA effectively investigate, remove unsafe seafood products from the market, and develop new prevention strategies, the FDA relies on illness reporting from public health officials and healthcare providers. While most foodborne outbreaks are tracked through the FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) network, seafood-related illnesses caused by natural toxins have a unique reporting mechanism. This web page provides information on commonly occurring seafood-related illnesses and how to report them to the FDA. To report an illness from raw bivalve molluscan shellfish, email the FDA at shellfishepi@fda.hhs.gov.
The FDA receives reports of illnesses associated with the consumption of specific types of fish. These illnesses may originate from the activity of certain bacteria, toxins produced by marine algae, or hazards inherent in the fish.
Commonly occurring illness:
Illness and reporting information for the commonly occurring illnesses are provided in each section. Contact the FDA with any questions or need for clarification of the illness or reporting.
In addition to the illnesses listed above, reporting of other less frequently occurring illnesses from natural toxins may be accomplished by emailing the FDA at Seafood.Illness@fda.hhs.gov. Refer to Chapter 6 of the “Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance” for a comprehensive list of natural toxin illnesses. To report illnesses related to miscellaneous natural toxin illnesses, please email FDA at Seafood.Illness@fda.hhs.gov.
The FDA works with first responders, physicians, and state and local health departments to investigate illnesses and outbreaks, manage them, and learn how to lessen future occurrences.
Posted in Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, FDA, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Research, Scombroid, scombroid poisoning
To help FDA effectively investigate, remove unsafe seafood products from the market, and develop new prevention strategies, the FDA relies on illness reporting from public health officials and healthcare providers. While most foodborne outbreaks are tracked through the FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) network, seafood-related illnesses caused by natural toxins have a unique reporting mechanism. This web page provides information on commonly occurring seafood-related illnesses and how to report them to the FDA. To report an illness from raw bivalve molluscan shellfish, email the FDA at shellfishepi@fda.hhs.gov.
The FDA receives reports of illnesses associated with the consumption of specific types of fish. These illnesses may originate from the activity of certain bacteria, toxins produced by marine algae, or hazards inherent in the fish.
Commonly occurring illness:
Illness and reporting information for the commonly occurring illnesses are provided in each section. Contact the FDA with any questions or need for clarification of the illness or reporting.
In addition to the illnesses listed above, reporting of other less frequently occurring illnesses from natural toxins may be accomplished by emailing the FDA at Seafood.Illness@fda.hhs.gov. Refer to Chapter 6 of the “Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance” for a comprehensive list of natural toxin illnesses. To report illnesses related to miscellaneous natural toxin illnesses, please email FDA at Seafood.Illness@fda.hhs.gov.
The FDA works with first responders, physicians, and state and local health departments to investigate illnesses and outbreaks, manage them, and learn how to lessen future occurrences.
To help FDA effectively investigate, remove unsafe seafood products from the market, and develop new prevention strategies, the FDA relies on illness reporting from public health officials and healthcare providers. While most foodborne outbreaks are tracked through the FDA’s Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation (CORE) network, seafood-related illnesses caused by natural toxins have a unique reporting mechanism. This web page provides information on commonly occurring seafood-related illnesses and how to report them to the FDA. To report an illness from raw bivalve molluscan shellfish, email the FDA at shellfishepi@fda.hhs.gov.
The FDA receives reports of illnesses associated with the consumption of specific types of fish. These illnesses may originate from the activity of certain bacteria, toxins produced by marine algae, or hazards inherent in the fish.
Commonly occurring illness:
Illness and reporting information for the commonly occurring illnesses are provided in each section. Contact the FDA with any questions or need for clarification of the illness or reporting.
In addition to the illnesses listed above, reporting of other less frequently occurring illnesses from natural toxins may be accomplished by emailing the FDA at Seafood.Illness@fda.hhs.gov. Refer to Chapter 6 of the “Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance” for a comprehensive list of natural toxin illnesses. To report illnesses related to miscellaneous natural toxin illnesses, please email FDA at Seafood.Illness@fda.hhs.gov.
The FDA works with first responders, physicians, and state and local health departments to investigate illnesses and outbreaks, manage them, and learn how to lessen future occurrences.
Posted in Algal Toxin, Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, cyanotoxins, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Toxin, Marine Biotoxin, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Saitoxin, Scombroid, scombroid poisoning, shellfish toxin, Toxin
Authorities in the British Virgin Islands have issued a warning after a surge in Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) within the past few weeks.
Cases until the week of June 6 were sporadic, but within three weeks there have been eight confirmed infections with other suspected cases also being investigated.
National Epidemiologist Harmony Massiah said CFP is not uncommon in tropical and sub-tropical areas and is mainly associated with consumption of big coral reef fish like snapper, bass and perch that have accumulated ciguatoxin in the body.
Larger fish will have higher amounts of the toxin. Contaminated fish cannot be identified by appearance and the toxin cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing.
Posted in Algal Toxin, Biotoxin, Ciguatera, Ciguatera Poisoning, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Illness, Food Inspections, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Toxin
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