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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Histamine poisoning (scombroid fish poisoning): an allergy-like intoxication.

Histamine poisoning results from the consumption of foods, typically certain types of fish and cheeses, that contain unusually high levels of histamine. Spoiled fish of the families, Scombridae and Scomberesocidae (e.g. tuna, mackerel, bonito), are commonly implicated in incidents of histamine poisoning, which leads to the common usage of the term, "scombroid fish poisoning", to describe this illness. However, certain non-scombroid fish, most notably mahi-mahi, bluefish, and sardines, when spoiled are also commonly implicated in histamine poisoning. Also, on rare occasions, cheeses especially Swiss cheese, can be implicated in histamine poisoning. The symptoms of histamine poisoning generally resemble the symptoms encountered with IgE-mediated food allergies. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, an oral burning sensation or peppery taste, hives, itching, red rash, and hypotension. The onset of the symptoms usually occurs within a few minutes after ingestion of the implicated food, and the duration of symptoms ranges from a few hours to 24 h. Antihistamines can be used effectively to treat this intoxication. Histamine is formed in foods by certain bacteria that are able to decarboxylate the amino acid, histidine. However, foods containing unusually high levels of histamine may not appear to be outwardly spoiled. Foods with histamine concentrations exceeding 50 mg per 100 g of food are generally considered to be hazardous. Histamine formation in fish can be prevented by proper handling and refrigerated storage while the control of histamine formation in cheese seems dependent on insuring that histamine-producing bacteria are not present in significant numbers in the raw milk.

Cheese↗
PubMed1997

Scombroid fish poisoning: an overlooked marine food poisoning.

Scombroid fish poisoning is a food-borne chemical intoxication caused by certain spoiled fish that contain a large amount of histamine and some biogenic diamines. It has gradually become a world-wide medical problem and probably is the most common cause of fish poisoning. As the data on the incidents of scombroid fish poisoning in Taiwan remains scarce, we report 2 incidents of scombroid fish poisoning in Northern Taiwan. We collected data of the 2 outbreaks of suspected fish poisoning which were reported to us in 1996. An epidemiological investigation was undertaken. Questionnaire interviews were given to persons who ate lunch in the same cafeteria in outbreak 2. The leftover fish were sent for species identification and toxin analysis. The first incident involving 4 women occurred in March 1996. All cases experienced flush, dizziness, blurred vision and skin rashes after eating lunch. A non-scombroid fish of Makaira with histamine levels as high as 84.13 mg/100 g flesh was implicated in this incident. In August 1996, another incident involving some cases who ate lunch at the same cafeteria were investigated. A total of 146 questionnaires were distributed with a return of 132 questionnaires (90.4%). Fifty-five employees reported positive signs or symptoms; 48 persons who ate fish and 7 women who did not eat fish were ill. Fish was the only food associated with the illness with an attack rate of 73.8% (p < 0.001). The incriminated fish was later identified as a scombroid fish of Euthynnus with a histamine content of 271.9 mg/100 g flesh in 1 leftover piece and 118.5 mg/100 g flesh in another piece. Most cases in these 2 outbreaks received treatment with antihistamines and had rapid and complete recovery. The diagnosis of scombroid fish poisoning could be misdiagnosed as food allergy or bacterial food poisoning if physicians are not aware of such poisoning. The nonspecific but characteristic symptomatology of histamine food poisoning and previous consumption of fish should alert physicians to the possibility of scombroid fish poisoning. Unless complicated with shock or respiratory distress, supportive treatment with antihistamines usually concludes with a good prognosis. Toxin analysis of the fish flesh remains the most important step in approaching a confirmed diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Ciguatera fish poisoning.

Ciguatera fish poisoning is the most common foodborne illness related to fin fish consumption and is endemic throughout the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific regions. The clinical picture is characterized by a variety of gastrointestinal, neurologic and, occasionally, cardiovascular symptoms. Patients with bradycardia and/or hypotension may require urgent care. Neurologic symptoms tend to be the most distinctive and enduring and include sensory changes such as generalized pruritus, circumoral numbness and reversal of hot and cold sensation. Intravenous mannitol has evolved as a unique remedy for patients with acute poisoning, but management of chronic symptoms continues to be problematic. Though difficult to implement, preventive strategies remain the best defense.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Ciguatera fish poisoning.

Ciguatera fish poisoning is one of a variety of non-bacterial forms of human seafood poisoning. Consuming large predatory fish from tropical reef ecosystems may be hazardous. We describe a case that is typical of the disease, and illustrates the persistence of neurological symptoms that occur in some patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Flushing syndrome due to mahimahi (scombroid fish) poisoning.

Scombroid fish poisoning, one of the most common adverse reactions to fish, is also probably one of the most common causes of a flushing syndrome. The reaction usually involves fishes of the Scombridae family but, in Hawaii, the reaction is most often due to mahimahi (Coryphaena hippurus). Onset of the reaction is usually abrupt and commonly associated with a prominent flush resembling a sunburn. Headache, tachye to a toxin with histamine-like properties, which is formed because improper refrigeration enables endogenous bacteria to decarboxylate histidine normally present in dark-meat fishes. Symptoms are usually promptly relieved by parenteral antihistamine therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Ciguatera fish poisoning: an outbreak associated with fish caught from North Carolina coastal waters.

Ten persons who had eaten at a seafood meal in North Carolina had gastrointestinal and neurologic symptoms suggestive of ciguatera fish poisoning. In five persons, the neurologic morbidity lasted 30 days or longer. The meal included barracuda, dolphin fish (mahimahi), and yellow-fin tuna, all of which were caught in North Carolina coastal waters. Analysis of food-specific attack rates implicated the barracuda as the probable cause of the outbreak. We believe this is the first suspected or confirmed report of ciguatera fish poisoning associated with consumption of fish harvested from mainland US coastal waters outside of Florida. Physicians treating patients with a syndrome resembling ciguatera fish poisoning should inquire about consumption of fish not only from areas where the disease is endemic but also from the southeastern US.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Update on histamine fish poisoning.

Histamine fish poisoning (HFP) is a chemical intoxication that occurs after eating bacterially contaminated fish of particular species. Its incidence has been underestimated because of its frequently mild nature, lack of mandatory reporting, and misdiagnosis (most often as seafood allergy). The fish are non-toxic when caught, but increase in histamine content as bacterial numbers increase. They may look and smell normal, and cooking does not destroy the histamine. Although the condition is caused by histamine intoxication, its pathogenesis is not fully understood, and other toxins or potentiators may be involved.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Ciguatera fish poisoning.

Ciguatera fish poisoning is the most common form of toxin-related food poisoning in the United States. Originating from dinoflagellates living on coral reefs, it is spread up the food and affects humans who ingest the ciguatoxic fish. Ciguatera is primarily endemic in tropical regions of the world. It is a self-limiting disease that presents with characteristic gastrointestinal, neurological, and cardiovascular symptoms. Recent advances in testing procedures and symptom recognition has improved ciguatoxin identification and clinical management. However, there is still a need for better diagnostic, preventive, and reporting protocols to more accurately study and understand this diverse and temporarily debilitating clinical syndrome.

Ciguatera Poisoning↗
PubMed1992

Travel and ciguatera fish poisoning.

BACKGROUND: Ciguatera fish poisoning is a distinctive clinical syndrome associated with the consumption of contaminated marine fish. It is endemic in many popular travel destinations, including the Caribbean and Pacific Islands, where travelers are at risk. METHODS: Clinical review of 23 patients (60% were travelers) with ciguatera fish poisoning in whom consultation was provided between 1987 and 1990. RESULTS: Seven patients acquired ciguatera fish poisoning during international travel to the following destinations: Bahamas (n = 4), Dominican Republic (n = 1), British Virgin Islands (n = 1), and United States (n = 1). Suspected fish included grouper, red snapper, and amberjack. Two patients required emergency care, and four patients developed chronic symptoms. Severity was associated with chronicity, duration of peak symptoms, and worsening of symptoms with sexual activity. Chronicity was associated with severity, long latency period, and duration of peak symptoms. The three patients with complete resolution were scuba divers. Amitriptyline was the drug most often providing benefit for chronic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Ciguatera fish poisoning is a health risk to travelers to endemic regions, and their risk likely equals that of indigenous population groups. Barracuda should never be eaten, and travelers should exercise caution when considering other fish dishes, notably, grouper and red snapper.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

A large outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning associated with eating escolar fish (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum).

In August 2003, an outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning occurred at a retreat centre in California, USA. In a retrospective cohort study, 42 (75%) of the 56 dinner attendees who ate escolar fish (Lepidocybium flavobrunneum) met the case definition. Individuals who ate at least 2 oz of fish were 1.5 times more likely to develop symptoms than those who ate less (relative risk 1.5, 95% confidence interval 0.9-2.6), and to develop more symptoms (median 7 vs. 3 symptoms, P = 0.03). Patients who took medicine had a longer duration of symptoms than those who did not (median 4 vs. 1.5 h, P = 0.05), and experienced a greater number of symptoms (median 8 vs. 3 symptoms, P = 0.0002). Samples of fish contained markedly elevated histamine levels (from 2000 to 3800 ppm). This is one of the largest reported outbreaks of scombroid fish poisoning in the United States and was associated with a rare vehicle for scombroid fish poisoning, escolar.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning, Taiwan.

Fish implicated in outbreaks of scombroid poisoning have usually undergone prolonged storage at an inadequate temperature. We report an outbreak of scombroid poisoning in which fish stored on ice for two days caused illness after standing at room temperature for only three to four hours; fish from the same catch did not cause illness after standing at room temperature only one hour. This outbreak suggests scombrotoxins may be produced more rapidly than previously thought possible.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Treatment of ciguatera fish poisoning with amitriptyline and nifedipine.

Ciguatera fish poisoning is the most common fish poisoning in the United States. Symptoms involve the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and neurological systems. No known treatment exists. We explore the therapeutic effect of amitriptyline in two patients and nifedipine in one patient. Amitriptyline demonstrated resolution of most symptoms except for heat/cold reversal in one patient and heat/cold reversal, pruritus and headache in the second patient. We then used nifedipine in the second patient and noted only the resolution of his headaches. We recommend further study of these agents for the treatment of ciguatera fish poisoning.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Ciguatera fish poisoning in the Solomon Islands.

Ciguatera fish poisoning may have existed in the Solomon Islands long ago though there has never been any ciguatera fish poisoning tests been carried to confirm its presence. Suspected occurrences are infrequent and seasonal. Most cases of ciguatera fish poisoning are undocumented that when cases do occur they depend largely on traditional-knowledge and anecdotal information. Areas suspected to have ciguatoxic poisoning problem in the Solomon Islands includes Santa Cruz, Rennell and Bellona, Indispensable reefs, Ontong Java and Wagina island. Fish species considered ciguatoxic includes red emperor, red snapper, roundfaced batfish, barracuda and blue lined sea-bream. In any way ciguatera fish poisoning is as yet not a big health problem in the Solomon Islands.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Severity rating scales for ciguatera fish poisoning.

Severity of ciguatera fish poisoning is often quite variable. Two symptom check list rating scales were developed for quantifying illness severity and for selectively monitoring response to therapy in patients with chronic toxicity. Content validity was ascertained, and internal consistency reliability was demonstrated by means of the Cronbach alpha correlation coefficient (alpha = 0.9475). It was concluded that these instruments were valid and reliable, and that they conveniently and accurately recorded illness severity and treatment efficacy. They should prove useful in clinical settings and epidemiologic investigations.

Animals↗
PubMed1965

CIGUATERA FISH POISON: A CHOLINESTERASE INHIBITOR.

The substance responsible for the poisoning effect of ciguatera poison from fish is an anticholinesterase. In rats, mice, and rabbits ciguatera poison causes death by asphyxiation. Protopam chloride with atropine is an effective antidote.

Animals↗