Shellfish poisoning

Shellfish poisoning caused by toxins that are mainly produced by unicellular algae and dinoflagellates and accumulate in the food chain. Risk to humans is through the consumption of seafood enriched accordingly. The cooking of contaminated food does not automatically lead to the inactivation of toxins.

Shellfish poisoning are divided into:

• Amnestic or central nervous form; Amnesic shellfish poisoning, ASP: domoic acid, produced by unicellular red algae and diatoms, can cause life-threatening breathing problems.
• Diarrheal form; Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, DSP: caused by okadaic acid by dinoflagellates nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and chills may occur.
• Neurotoxic form; Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, NSP: with ciguatoxin (in addition to the above symptoms and tingling and numbness in the mouth and fingers) related brevetoxins produced by the dinoflagellate Ptychodiscus brevis and solve similar symptoms and anxiety from.
• Paralytic form; Paralytic shellfish poisoning, PSP: Saxitoxine, among other things, produced by dinoflagellates of the genus Alexandrium and can trigger respiratory and heart failure.