Ciguatoxins

What are the risks and symptoms?

Ciguatoxin is a powerful neurotoxin whose ingestion causes ciguatera, a non-bacterial food poisoning. The clinical picture is often heterogeneous, generally combining:

1.     Gastrointestinal symptoms: Usually appearing first (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea).

2.    Neurological symptoms: The most characteristic and persistent (muscle and joint pain, tingling, feeling of deafness, and the paradoxical sensation of temperature reversal, where cold is perceived as burning).

3.    Cardiovascular symptoms: Rarer, but potentially serious (drop in blood pressure, bradycardia).

Warning: If you have consumed the product in question and are experiencing any of these clinical signs, seek immediate medical attention. It is crucial to inform the healthcare professional that you have consumed the product in question so that they can quickly make a diagnosis. Symptoms usually appear 3-6 hours after consumption, in some cases as late as 30 hours afterwards.