What is diarrhoeic shellfish poisoning?
Diarrhoeic shellfish poisoning (DSP) is a foodborne intoxication associated with the consumption of contaminated shellfish harvested from waters affected by growth of certain types of toxic algae. DSP has been known for around 30 years and is most common in Europe and Japan, but DSP toxins are being increasingly reported in shellfish from previously unaffected areas DSP is caused by the ingestion of toxins that accumulate in certain types of shellfish that have been feeding on the algae that produce the toxins. DSP is a non-lethal form of food poisoning with symptoms typical of gastroenteritis, especially diarrhoea. There are a number of chemically different toxins associated with DSP. They are lipophilic and polyether compounds and can be divided into three main groups: • Acidic toxins – okadaic acid (OA) and its derivatives named dinophysistoxins (DTXs) • Neutral toxins – pectenotoxin group (PTXs) • Other toxins – yessotoxin (YTX) and a derivative The DTXs are the most important grou
