What are the types of marine toxin poisoning?
Scombrotoxic fish poisoning: • Is caused by bacteria. The bacteria may produce a chemical (histamine) that results in the food poisoning. • Is usually found in finfish such as tuna, mackerel, and bonito. • Causes symptoms within 2 minutes to 2 hours of eating the fish. The most common symptoms are rash, diarrhea, flushing, sweating, headache, and vomiting. Burning or swelling of the mouth, stomach pain, and a metallic taste may also occur. Most people have mild symptoms that are gone within a few hours. In severe cases, antihistaminesor epinephrine may be needed. • Cooking does not destroy the chemical, so buy your fish from a good source. Ciguatera poisoning: • Is caused by ciguatoxins, which are produced by tiny sea plants called dinoflagellates. • Is usually found in tropical reef fish (such as barracuda) that kill other fish, but it may be found in grouper, sea bass, snapper, mullet, and other fish living in tropical waters. Common locations for these fish are the reefs surrounding
