Paralytic shellfish poisoning
Background
- Associated with red tides, but can occur independently
- Caused by ingestion of contaminated shellfish which harbor toxin producing algae
- Shellfish typically from colder waters (New England, Pacific NW, Alaska)
Diagnosis
- Based on symptoms plus history of shellfish ingestion
- Symptoms develop within minutes to hours of ingestion
Differential Diagnosis
Marine toxins, envenomations, and bites
- Toxins
- Ciguatera
- Scombroid
- Tetrodotoxin (e.g. pufferfish)
- Shellfish poisoning
- Amnesic shellfish poisoning
- Diarrheal shellfish poisoning
- Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning
- Paralytic shellfish poisoning
- Stingers
- Venomous fish
- Cone shell
- Lionfish
- Sea urchins
- Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
- Stonefish
- Other: Catfish, zebrafish, scorpion fish
- Nematocysts
- Coral reef
- Fire coral
- Jellyfish (Cnidaria)
- Portuguese man-of-war
- Sea anemones
- Seabather's eruption
- Phylum porifera (sponges)
- Bites
- Infections
Treatment
- Symptomatic
Prognosis
- Mortality up to 12 percent if untreated [1]
See Also
Source
- ↑ Mines D et al. Poisonings: food, fish, shellfish. Emerg Med Clin North Am 1997;15:157.