Introduction:
Ciguatera is the most frequently reported illness caused by a seafood toxin worldwide. (Arena, 2004). Ciguatoxin, a family of organic toxins, causes a variety of symptoms that vary from gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and neurological. Symptoms of ciguatera fish poisoning, or CFP, typically occur within 1-6 hours of the consumption of ciguatoxin tainted fish and the duration of symptoms varies from days, months or even years (Kipping, Eastcott, Sarangi, 2006).
Ciguatoxin originates from dinoflagellate algae and most commonly from the coral reef species of algae called Gambierodiscus toxicus primarily in tropical and subtropical regions (Kipping, Eastcott, Sarangi, 2006). The algae are eaten by herbivorous fishes that absorb the toxin without any significant observable effect (Kipping, Eastcott, Sarangi, 2006). The toxins remain in all parts of the fish flesh but there are higher concentrations of toxin in the viscera, liver and gonads. Bioaccumulation occurs as ciguatoxin progresses up the food chain. The species of fish with the highest quantity of ciguatoxin are the larger predators, primarily sharks and barracouda (Dickey, Plakas, 2010). The process of digestion itself appears to potentiate the toxicity (Kipping, Eastcott, Sarangi, 2006). The toxin is odorless and tasteless. Contaminated fish have no distinct taste and are undetectable (Bavastrelli, Bertucci, Midulla, Giardini, & Sanguigni, n.d.). The ciguatera toxins are heat stable and thus are not destroyed by cooking, freezing or acid (Kipping, Eastcott, Sarangi, 2006). Pre-market testing for the presence of CTX is currently not possible due to a lack of existing rapid field testing methods (Report, 2013).
The globalization and expansion of trade in fishe...
... middle of paper ...
...moray eels-especially avoiding their organs and viscera.
Evidence proves that education about CFP is effective as CFP cases have had a reported decrease in Florida which was most likely attributable to improved public awareness of CFP. Outreach may prove effective in NYC as there was an increase of reported cases in 2013, which may reflect changing sources of fish products and the increasing diversity of fish species that are available for sale.
The increasing decay of marine ecosystems combined with limited treatment options for CFP highlight the public health importance of continued active reporting, surveillance and preventive measures. Additionally, with expansion of global trade and increased international travel it is likely that CFP will be less and less localized to the current endemic regions.
*increased mandated reporting and heightened surveillance
A defining feature of the lionfish which everyone sees are the “18 venomous spines on its dorsal fin and its pelvic and anal fins, which are used for defense” as described in FACE OFF WITH THE ENEMY: LIONFISH by Special To The Citizen. Which is a neurotoxin that results in intense pain and swelling of one’s body. Fernando Simal, a marine hunter at STINAPA National Marine Park, found out the potency of their venom after his first hunt when being stung by the lionfish he caug...
Acknowledgements: Slides of dead fish courtesy of OKDEQ. We would like to thank our students Trevor Nance Jr, and Matt Ward for their help in the laboratory sample preparations. We would also like to thank OKDEQ (Chris Armstrong) and EPA Region 6 (Rick McMillin) for their patience.
Dr. Marshall Westwood had been a victim of the puffer fish poisoning. This poisoning is due to a type of neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin that is pres...
"The Cost to Human Health." How We Save the Bay. N.p., 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
Kenneth Schiff wrote an editorial for the Marine Pollution Bulletin in 2014 where he asked environmental scientist about the effectiveness of the Clean Water Act. Three topics were discussed to support their approval; The Cuyahoga River, Platform A and declines in marine life. The Cuyahoga River in Ohio had hit a point 1969 where there was so much oil on the surface of that it caught on fire and now it has been deemed as fishable by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, thanks to the Clean Water Act. Platform A was located in Southern California. In 1969, an explosion occurred, causing 100,000 barrels of oil to devastate beaches along the Pacific Ocean and kill thousands of animals located in this region. Also discussed was the effects of hazardous substances, in this example DDT, on marine life. The use of this pesticide caused brown pelicans and California sea lions to experience intense decline in population- thanks to the Clean Water Act being followed by much research, restrictions and bans were able to be placed on these chemicals, allowing these populations to flourish once more. Within this editorial, there is also many who state that this Act has not been effective enough. One big argument is that the EPA has a list of pollutants that has not changed since the 1970’s yet in the last 40 years, there has
...heir vision is not needed at that depth in the dark water (I 77). These parasites might actually help the sharks. These parasites are biolumiscent and they might attract those fast swimming fish to the oral side of the shark. With out these parasites it is possible that the sharks could not catch as many fish as it does, due to its slow speed. On top of the parasites on its eyes, the Greenland shark also has poisonous flesh. To get rid of the poison n order to eat it, the flesh must be boiled and dried several times (II 63). If the meat is not prepared correctly, it can cause, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, tingling and burning sensation of tongue, throat and esophagus. It can also cause muscular cramps, respiratory distress, coma and death (III Vol 25, 905). This shark may not kill you when it’s alive, but you have to careful when it’s dead.
As mentioned before, brevetoxins can cause human respiratory and digestive illness, and consumption of brevetoxin-contaminated fish and mollusks is associated with neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP). According to the data, people in Sarasota, Florida visited the hospital emergency department for digestive illnesses during red tide outbreaks increased by 40% in 2001 relative to in 2002 when there was no red tide bloom (Hoagland, et al., 2014). In addition, multiple substantial effects of brevetoxin immunotonicity are postulated by scientists, such as the inhibition of cathepsin active sites, apoptosis, the release of inflammatory mediators, cell cycle, and oxidative stress. Several effects listed before can have profound problems on human health such as apoptosis, cell cycle and oxidative stress can lead to cancer. The experimental results suggest that the apoptosis postulation is based on the in vitro assay that DNA damage was observed in human lymphocytes treated with brevetoxins and several apoptotic gene expressions were altered in brevetoxin exposed Jurkat cells. The oxidative stress will result in the depletion of glutathione in U-937 human monocyte cell line treated with PbTx-2. Also, DNA strands breakage and chromosome aberrations were observed under oxidative stress (Fleming et al.,
To begin with, the influence of consuming shark fin is from unverifiable beliefs while this is academically proven that sharks have neurotoxins. There are many beliefs that become proven later in the later generation, but shark fin eating is yet not one of these. Conversely, instead of finding more nutrition values in sharks, a research found that shark, which some species could have 50 years or more average lifetimes, containing a large amount of poison from eating toxin-laden fish within their bodies along their lives. To illustrate, pregnant women are especially warned not to consume shark meat as mercury could cause dangerous neurological impacts on fetuses(Xu, 2013). The other types of toxin shown in a recent study by Deborah C. Mash, a researcher at the University of Miami, that 79% of shark fins high level of BMAA or Beta-methylamino-L-alanine, a harmful neurotoxin which could lead into higher risk of Alzheimer’s and other diseas...
Fabinyi and Liu (2014) claim that the best way to make a long-term change is to educate the Chinese people about the environmental dangers of shark finning. They found that most people were unconcerned about the sustainability of their seafood resources, but perhaps a consumer awareness campaign could spark some interest in shark conservation. Attention also needs to be drawn to the fact that shark fins do not have the health benefits the Chinese think they do (Jefferies, 2012). The United States Food and Drug Administration actually ranked shark as one of the foods that is most contaminated by methylmercury. Methylmercury is a toxin commonly found in seafood that is linked to male infertility and can negatively affect fetal development. Toxins enter the food chain at the bottom and accumulate as they make their way to the top, where sharks reside. This means that people who consume large amounts of shark and other potentially contaminated seafood are heightening their risk for some health
The blue-ringed octopus is one of the most venomous creatures in the ocean. You might be shocked to hear that the venom produced in their spit gland, is powerful enough to kill twenty six humans! This venom is one thousand times more powerful than cyanide! The blue-ringed octopus works by paralyzing the muscles of their prey, or whoever they feel threatened by. Most victims die of lack of oxygen, or upper respiratory attack. A victim can be saved if hooked up to life support right away.
Wu RSS (1999) Eutrophication, Water Borne Pathogens and Xenobiotic Compounds: Environmental Risks and Challenges. Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol.39, nos. 1-12, 11-22
Countless marine animals have been taken away from their right full ocean homes and placed in touch tanks.When the animals reach to aquariums, they do not arrive with their family members, which can make the animals feel stressful and lonely. This matter can cause the animals to not eat food and will make dead.When this happens they might have a virus or foreign bacteria.At the Calgary's aquarium 50 bamboo sharks have serious unknown bacteria because of this situation.This problem can also start to make the animals feel angry and attack people or other animals that are surrounded by the marine animal.That is because of stress, Ripley's with not being with their family member.At the ToRipley's aquarium, five bamboo sharks bit two employees
...rane configurations, and release mediators of inflammation. Most venoms affect the muscle or nervous system, but most human reactions to jellyfish stings are consistent and the severity varies more. (Bailey, 2003) Sponges and Hydroids usually have the mildest venom among cnidarian, with the exception of some species. They usually only result in slight inflammation. Some species of jellyfish will also give a slight sting that causes inflammation. The most severe stings are caused by the Physalia species, scyphozoans, and cubozoans. (Bailey, 2003) These can give stings that cause loss of consciousness, edemas, muscle spasm, heart failure, coma, or death. (Bailey, 2003) This is just a very short list of the symptoms from cnidarian stings. This quick, and effective, firing system combined with potent venom makes many cnidarians the most venomous organisms known to man.
I decided to write about Puffer Fish because it is second the most poisonous animal on the earth following the Golden Poison Frog, as well as its ability to defence itself from predators by using its elastic stomach to inflate huge amounts of water/ air to turn themselves into a “ball” a number of times their normal size, what results in making it much harder to eat.
If we don’t explore the oceans, we are overlooking opportunities on curing disease. If we don’t take into consideration exploring the ocean, we are missing out on saving lives. On oceanhealthindex.org, the author wrote, “Now these and other