The occurrence of a ciguatera-like poison in oysters, clams, and Gymnodinium breve cultures
1965; Elsevier BV; Volume: 3; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/0041-0101(65)90005-x
ISSN1879-3150
AutoresEarl F. McFarren, H. Tanabe, F.J. Silva, W.B. Wilson, J. E. Campbell, Keith H. Lewis,
Tópico(s)Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis
ResumoA toxin found in oysters (Crassostria virginica) and clams (Venus mercenaria campechiensis) from certain areas of Charlotte Harbor, Lemon Bay, Sarasota Bay, and Tampa Bay, Florida, during the Spring of 1962, appears on the bases of the symptoms in humans, its solubility in organic solvents and the reactions of experimental animals fed or injected with the poison, to be identical to the toxin responsible for ciguatera poisoning. An epidemiological investigation of several cases of human illness associated with the ingestion of some of these shellfish and the development of a mouse bioassay suitable for the routine analysis of shellfish or fish for the poison, demonstrated that between 400 and 500 mouse units of the poison was sufficient to produce a mild form of illness in humans and that as little as 50 to 80 mouse units may produce some symptoms of poisoning. In the light of reports regarding the occurrence of a human respiratory irritant associated with "red tides" and the association of fish kills with blooms of Gymnodinium breve, cultures of Gymnodinium breve and a sample of sea water, obtained from an area that on the previous day had experienced an episode of respiratory irritation, were extracted with organic solvents; and these extracts were also found to be toxic to mice.
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