Sea food biotoxin
Prof.Dr. Fhim Shaltout
Professor of Meat Hygiene
Faculty of Veterinary Medicne
Benha University, Egypt.
• Biotoxin a toxic substance produced by a living
organism.
• In the marine environment, biotoxins are
produced by several types of algae, such as
diatoms and dinoflagellates, which can produce
“harmful algal blooms” or “red tides.”
• Biotoxins become dangerous when they
contaminate the food web, potentially causing
injury or death to those who feed either directly
or indirectly on them
• Marine toxin diseases are caused by a myriad of
natural toxins produced by minute organisms
called dinoflagellates and diatoms. These
phytoplankton move up the food chain into
shellfish and carnivorous fish where they
concentrate in viscera, affecting those who
consume them.
• these toxins are tasteless, odorless, and heat
and acid stable
• The marine toxin diseases are categorized into 2 groups
depending on their vectors: shellfish and fish.
• Shellfish harbor the toxins that produce paralytic shellfish
poisoning (PSP), neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP),
diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP), and amnesic
shellfish poisoning (ASP).
• Second groub, fish carry the toxins responsible for
ciguatera and tetrodotoxin (fugu or pufferfish) poisoning
• The shellfish-associated diseases characterized by
patches of discolored water and dead or dying fish.
Impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms
• Algal blooms occur in both saltwater and freshwater
environments and cause harm through two primary
mechanisms.
• The first category of impacts is the production of
toxins. Toxins may kill fish or shellfish directly, or may
cause one of several human illnesses following ingestion
of contaminated seafood.
• The second category of impacts is high biomass
accumulation, which, in turn, leads to environmental
damage or degradation. These effects can include light
attenuation, clogging of fish gills, or depletion of
dissolved oxygen upon decay of the algal cells.
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The most significant public
health problems caused by
harmful
algae
are
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Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP)
Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP)
Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP)
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)
Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP)
Gempylotoxin
Scombroid Toxin
Tetrodotoxin
Azaspiracid shellfish poisoning
Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning
(ASP)
causative organisms: Pseudo-nitzschia sp. •
toxin produced: Domoic Acid •
Foods Associated with Illness
Mussels, clams, oysters, and scallops found
in the coastal waters of the Pacific
Northwest and the east coast of Canada
ASP
a life-threatening syndrome. It is characterized by both
gastrointestinal and neurological disorders.
symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps,
and diarrhea.
In severe cases, neurological symptoms include
dizziness, headache, seizures, disorientation, short-term
memory loss, respiratory difficulty, and coma.
In the long term cause brain damage, and sometimes
even death, in elderly patients or patients with impaired
kidney function Because there is no known antidote to
domoic acid
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Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP
causative organisms: Gambierdiscus •
toxicus, Prorocentrum spp., Ostreopsis
spp., Coolia monotis, Thecadinium sp. and
Amphidinium carterae
toxins produced: Ciguatoxin/Maitotoxin •
Foods Associated with Ciguatoxin
Barracuda are commonly associated with •
ciguatoxin poisoning, but grouper, sea bass, red
snapper, mullet, and a number of other fish that
live in oceans between latitudes 35° N and 35° S
have also caused the disease.
These fish are typically caught by sport •
fishermen on reefs in Hawaii, Guam, and other
South Pacific islands, the Virgin Islands, and
Puerto Rico
Ciguatera
It is characterized by gastrointestinal (diarrhea, •
abdominal cramps and vomiting), neurologic
(paresthesias, pain in the teeth, pain on
urination, blurred vision, temperature reversal)
and cardiovascular (arrhythmias, heart block)
signs
symptoms within a few hours of contaminated •
fish ingestion. The pathneumonic symptom of
Ciguatera intoxication is hot/cold temperature
reversal,. Prolonged itching
• Chronic ciguatera can also present as a
psychiatric disorder of general malaise,
depression, headaches, muscular aches, and
peculiar feelings in extremities for several weeks
• Ciguatera can be sexually transmitted. With
exposure of the mother, premature labor and
spontaneous abortion have been reported, as
well as effects on the fetus and newborn child
through placental and breast milk transmission
Ciguatoxin usually causes symptoms within a •
few minutes after eating contaminated fish, but
occasionally symptoms may take up to 6 hours
to appear.
Symptoms usually clear in 1 to 4 weeks but can •
last for years. Recovery time is variable, and
may take weeks, months, or years. Rapid
treatment (within 24 hours) with manitol is
reported to relieve some symptoms.
Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning
(DSP
• causative organisms: Dinophysis sp.
• toxin produced: Okadaic Acid
Foods Associated with Diarrhetic
Shellfish Poisoning
• Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning is
associated with mussels, oysters, and
clams found in Gulf of Maine Puget
Sound, WA Massachusetts Maine
DSP
• produces gastrointestinal symptoms,
usually beginning within 30 min to a few
hours after consumption of toxic shellfish
• The illness, which is not fatal, is
characterized by incapacitating diarrhea,
nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and
chills.
• Recovery occurs within three days, with or
without medical treatment
Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning
(NSP
causative organism: Karenia brevis •
toxins produced: Brevetoxins •
Foods Associated with Neurotoxic
Shellfish Poisoning
Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning is •
associated with mussels, oysters, and
clams found in the warmers waters of the
western coast of Florida, the Gulf of
Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea
NSP
produces an intoxication syndrome nearly •
identical to that of ciguatera.
It is characterized, gastrointestinal and •
neurological symptoms
In addition, formation of toxic aerosols by wave •
action can produce respiratory asthma-like
symptoms. No deaths have been reported
and the syndrome is less severe than ciguatera,
but nevertheless debilitating. Unlike ciguatera
recovery is generally complete in a few days.
Symptom onset ranges from 15 minutes to 18
hours postingestion, and
The duration of toxicity ranges from 1-72 hours
(usually < 24 h).
symptoms include gastroenteritis; rectal burning;
paresthesias of the face, trunk, and limbs;
myalgias; ataxia; vertigo; and reversal of
hot/cold sensation.Other less common features
include tremor, dysphagia, bradycardia,
decreased reflexes, and mydriasis.
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This syndrome presents much like •
ciguatera poisoning but without a paralytic
component, and it may last from several
hours to a few days.
The brevetoxins, unlike the other shellfish •
toxins, can become aerosolized by the surf
and produce an allergic response
characterized by rhinorrhea, conjunctivitis,
bronchospasm, and cough
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
(PSP
causative organisms: Alexandrium •
spp.,Gymnodinium catenatum, Pyrodinium
bahamense
toxins produced: Saxitoxins •
Foods Associated with Paralytic
Shellfish Poisoning
Shellfish that have caused this disease •
include mussels, cockles, clams, scallops,
oysters, crabs, and lobsters found in
colder waters such as those of the Pacific
and New England Coasts
PSP
PSP, like ASP, is a life threatening syndrome.
Symptoms are purely neurological and their
onset is rapid.
Duration of effects is a few days in non-lethal
cases.
Symptoms generally begin with numbness or
tingling of the face, tongue, arms, and legs. This
is followed by headache, dizziness, nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, and muscular
incoordination..
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Patients sometimes describe a floating
sensation.
In cases of severe poisoning, muscle paralysis
and respiratory failure occur and death may
occur in 2 to 25 hours.
. Symptoms usually begin from 15 minutes to 2
hours after eating contaminated shellfish but can
take as long as 10 hours to appear.
Symptoms are usually mild in healthy people,
but in those with compromised health, the illness
can be severe or even fatal
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The most severe cases result in •
respiratory arrest within 24 hours of
consumption of the toxic shellfish.
If the patient is not breathing or if a pulse •
is not detected, artificial respiration and
CPR may be needed as first aid.
There is no antidote, supportive therapy is •
the rule and survivors recover fully
Scombroid poisoning
Scombroid poisoning results from the •
eating of spoiled fish of the Scombroidea
or Scomberesocidae families..
The phenomenon occurs with the •
consumption of both fresh and canned
fish.
Scombroid is caused by bacterial overgrowth •
associated with inadequate storage of fish that
naturally contain high levels of histidine. These
surface bacteria decarboxylate histidine to
produce high levels of histamine,
Optimal conditions for poisoning occur when the •
fish is improperly stored in a range from 20° to
30°C.
Foods Associated with Illness
• Tuna, mackerel, mahimahi (dolphin fish),
sardine, anchovy, herring, bluefish, amberjack,
grouper, and marlin that have been improperly
refrigerated or preserved have been implicated
in scombroid poisoning.
• Fish contaminated with histamine may have a
peppery, sharp, salty, or bubbly taste, but may
also look, smell, and taste normal.
AZASPIRACID SHELLFISH
)POISONING (AZP
Azaspiracid is a previously unknown and •
structurally novel marine toxin found to be
responsible for an outbreak of diarrhetic food
poisoning associated with consumption of
contaminated Irish shellfish in Europe in 1995
.These toxins accumulate in bivalve mollusks •
that feed on toxic microalgae of the genus
Protoperidinium sp
azaspiracids can induce widespread organ •
damage in animals and because of that they are
probably more dangerous than previously known
classes of shellfish toxins.
• First incidents of human intoxications by
azaspiracid discovered in Ireland .
• mechanism of action is largely unknown. It is a
unique toxin group that targets the liver, lung,
pancreas, thymus, spleen (T and Blymphocytes) and digestive tract.
• The azaspiracid toxin group can cause severe
poisoning in human consumers of mussels after
being enriched in the shellfish tissues.
• Eating mussels is a special treat for many
people, although it is not completely without
danger.
• It has been known for a long time that
consumption of mussels and other bivalve
shellfish can cause poisoning in humans
• symptoms ranging from diarrhea, nausea, and
vomiting to neurotoxicological effects,including
paralysis and even death in extreme cases
Other natural toxins
• There are naturally occurring toxins in
some species that do not involve marine
algae
• 1-gempylotoxin
• 2-Tetrodotoxin
• 3-Tetramine
gempylotoxin.
Nature of Disease
An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness occurred
amongst attendees of a conference lunch in the
Hunter area, New South Wales,
The median incubation period was 2.5 hours.
The most common symptoms were; diarrhoea is
oily,abdominal cramps ,nausea ,headache ,and
vomiting
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Associated Foods
Symptoms are associated with the •
ingestion of Escolar (Lepidocybium
flavobrunneum) or Oilfish (Ruvettus
pretiosus). Other species (including
Butterfish, Rudderfish, Cod, and
Taiwanese Seabass
Tetrodotoxin
Puffer fish, or fugu, may contain tetrodotoxin. •
Poisonings from tetrodotoxin have usually been
associated with the consumption of puffer fish
from waters of the Indo-Pacific ocean regions.
Symptoms of poisoning usually begin within 10 •
minutes of consuming puffer fish.
The victim first experiences numbness and •
tingling of the mouth, weakness, paralysis,
decreased blood pressure, and weakened pulse.
Death can occur within 30 minutes
Tetramine
• Tetramine is a toxin that is found in the
salivary glands of Neptunia spp., a type of
whelk.
• controlled by removing the glands
Finding
• Fish is one of the most food insecure, between
complaints of mad cow and avian flu, fled, many to
the sea
• it seems not as much security you think a lot; have
dropped more than 12 species of fish toxic to the
markets of Egypt and the Arab, a part of more than
100 species of fish poison in the world,
• because the majority of the citizens and even
traders fish can not differentiate between species of
toxic and other have emerged another class of
traders pretend consumers that the fish of the finest
species, and sell them to toxins at some cheap and
others are exaggerated
• In the source of the fish; where they are sold at the small traders
and street vendors, they start selling these alien species, such as:
rabbat fish or basa fish " with a red meat that have been shown to
contain some toxic substances,
• It eliminates the effect if the cook fish in the oil in a frying, due to
high oil temperature.
It may not lose the fish effect by grilling so have some harmful
effects on human health, such as nausea, vomiting, and there are
others who the disposal of fish offal, especially liver
• difficult to distinguish these fish just by looking; because some
traders get these fish that are caught from the Red Sea, and the cut
it and change its features and then soaked in vinegar and salt to
change the smell unpleasant; and therefore difficult to distinguish
them from others; where the leaves never form
• confirmed by "Chef Zakaria" chef one of
the five-star hotels in Cairo, who happens
to buy large quantities of fish to the hotel,
he said: The distinction of the meat of
these fish is difficult just by looking, but it
can be seen during the cooking and
cooking, for example in fish fillet notes that
its flesh is not coherent, and well below
the size of the fish during frying or grilling
these fish
Rabbat fish
Cairo - Scientists have warned fish from eating fish "rabbit"
because they contain a deadly poison with food
poisoning in humans and ultimately lead to death,
Is concentrated in the liver of the fish and its head has
two effects, first targeting the gastrointestinal tract and
cause food poisoning, diarrhea and a sense of visual
problems in the eye.
He explained that the second effect is the effect of the
toxic fish where it enters a deadly poison to the nervous
system and afflicts paralyzed and then death occurs.
warning came after the rabbit caused a fish poison in the •
death of a policeman in the city of Suez "140 kilometers
east of Cairo," and wounded four of his colleagues at the
port after eating a fish meal of this kind.
Another person died in the town of Ras Gharib, the Red
Sea province also wounded 14 people in the
governorate of South Sinai after eating toxic fish.
And returns the first cases of death from eating the fish
to the year 2007, when seven people died among 280
people were poisoned.
"DPA
some fishermen resort to the use of dynamite •
and pesticides the D. DT a means of hunting
prohibited and forbidden to get on the outcome
of the largest in the fishing,
This leads to the poisoning of fish, and can •
detect those types of fish by smell gills fish, and
that have a pungent odor during frying it is
possible that emits odors jazz or pesticide
The ignorance of consumers
Methods of Analyses
ELISA •
HPLC •
Public Health Significance
There is no antidote for biotoxin poisoning.
The victim must wait for the toxins to naturally
flush from their body
Life support systems such as respirators and
oxygen are used in extreme cases to keep the
victim alive and stable.
Cooking does not destroy biotoxins. Cooking will
kill the toxin-producing algae, but the toxin itself
is not affected by cooking and remains in the
shellfish tissue
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Mussels accumulate toxins more quickly than •
other types of shellfish and.
Their proximity to shallow beaches and fresh •
water sources (and thus potential pollution) are
additional reasons to be especially aware of
surrounding conditions when harvesting this
species.
Varnish clams and butter clams store toxins •
longer than other species, and can remain toxic
for more than a year after a bloom subsides. For
this reason an area can be closed to varnish and
butter clam harvest but open for other species
Prevention
It is important to notify public health departments about •
even one person with marine toxin poisoning.
Investigators can then try to determine if a specific
restaurant, oyster bed, or fishing area has a problem.
This prevents other illnesses.
In any food poisoning occurrence, consumers should •
note foods eaten and freeze any uneaten portions in
case they need to be tested.
In Hawaii, a commercial test has been developed to •
allow persons to test sport-caught fish for ciguatoxins.
Guidelines for safe seafood
consumption
Although anyone eating fish or shellfish •
containing toxin
persons with weakened immune systems or liver •
problems should not eat raw seafood because of
their higher risk of infection.
Seafood should be kept on ice or refrigerated at •
less than 38° Fahrenheit to prevent spoilage
Avoiding marine toxin poisoning
Fresh tuna, mackerel, grouper, and mahi mahi
should be refrigerated to prevent development of
histamine.
Cooking spoiled or toxic seafood will not make it
safe to eat. These toxins are not destroyed by
cooking.
Barracuda should not be eaten, especially not
those from the Caribbean.
Local health officials should be consulted before
shellfish are collected.
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Health Department advisories about algal •
blooms, dinoflagellate growth or "redtide"
conditions may be posted at fishing supply
stores.
Finfish or shellfish sold as bait should not •
be eaten.
Diagnosis
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Diagnosis of marine toxin poisoning is generally based
on symptoms and a history of recently eating a particular
kind of seafood. Laboratory testing for the specific toxin
in patient samples is generally not necessary because
this requires special techniques and equipment available
in only specialized laboratories. If leftover fish or shellfish
are available, they can be tested for the presence of the
toxin more easily. Identification of the specific toxin is not
usually necessary for treating patients because there is
no specific treatment.
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Treatment
There are no specific treatments for marine toxin •
poisoning. Treatment generally consists of
managing complications and being supportive
until the illness passes..
To prevent dehydration, take frequent sips of a •
rehydration drink (such as Lytren, Pedialyte, or
Rehydralyte)..
You can also use a sports drink, such as •
Gatorade. Soda and fruit juices have too much
sugar and not enough of the important
electrolytes that are lost during diarrhea, and
they should not be used to rehydrate.
Other than supportive care there are few specific •
treatments for ciguatera poisoning, paralytic
shellfish poisoning, neurotoxic shellfish
poisoning, or amnesic shellfish poisoning.
Antihistamines and epinephrine, treating the
symptoms of scombrotoxic fish poisoning.
Intravenous mannitol has been suggested for •
the treatment of severe ciguatera poisoning
Long-term consequences
Ciguatera poisoning has resulted in some
neurologic problems that can last for weeks, and
in rare cases, even years.
Symptoms have sometimes returned after
eating contaminated fish a second time.
Shellfish poisoning has resulted in long-term
problems with short-term memory in some
people.
Long-term consequences have not been
associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning,
neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, and scombrotoxic
fish poisoning.
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Public Health Government
Some health departments test shellfish •
harvested within their jurisdiction to monitor the
level of dinoflagellate toxins and asses the risk
for contamination. Based on the results of such
testing, recreational and commercial seafood
harvesting may be prohibited locally during
periods of risk. State and federal regulatory
agencies monitor reported cases of marine toxin
poisoning, and health departments investigate
possible outbreaks and devise control measures