What is Ciguatera?
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Ciguatera is a form of food poisoning which is caused by ingestion of ciguatoxin, a toxin present in certain tropical fish. This form of food poisoning is not curable, but it is usually survivable, depending on how much the patient has ingested and how healthy he or she was to begin with. Incidence of ciguatera has radically declined thanks to closer inspection of tropical waters and prompt shut downs of fishing in areas suspected to be contaminated; people who eat a lot of seafood may want to keep an eye on seafood recalls to avoid ciguatera and other forms of seafood poisoning.
Ciguatoxin acts on the gastrointestinal tract, causing cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, and similar symptoms. It also causes neurological symptoms such as confusion, lack of balance, and nervous system malfunctions, like the perception of cold as heat. Symptoms often emerge very rapidly, thereby ensuring that the patient doesn't ingest any more fish, because he or she feels too ill to eat.
This toxin appears to originate in dinoflagellates, microscopic organisms found throughout the ocean. Research on ciguatera suggests that that ciguatoxin is most commonly found in the Pacific tropics and in the Caribbean, concentrated in fish which frequent coral reefs. Ciguatoxin is often subject to biomagnification, becoming more concentrated as it moves up the food chain, and since people often eat fish which are high on the food chain, they can be at risk of ciguatera poisoning.
Supportive care is usually the focus of treatment for ciguatera. Doctors address the individual symptoms of the patient to help him or her recover. Symptoms can flare up again up to 20 years later, often in response to eating potential allergens like nuts and shellfish, and ciguatera can also cause long-term neurological damage. People who have experienced ciguatera should be aware of this, and pass information about their illness on to care providers whenever possible.
The first reported cases of ciguatera appear to date to the 16th century, when mariners wrote about getting sick after eating tropical fish. By the 18th century, ciguatera had become fairly well-known, especially in the Caribbean, although the cause was not fully understood. The condition can be confusing, because fish may be safe to eat at some times, and not safe to eat at others, making it hard to link a specific species with ciguatera. Furthermore, ciguatoxin can be present in fish which frequent very distant areas, making it tricky to pin down the geological focus on the toxin and issue a warning or recall.
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Well thanks for your comments. I have seen a neurologist who has been helpful. the Hospital of Tropical Disease was useless.
Now I have noticed my cholesterol and kidney readings are both extremely high as a result of the Ciguatera. This also concurs with the pain I have been feeling in my kidneys. Do you have any further advice to give me on dealing with this? --DK - anon40244
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The only tests that can be confirm that it is Cigautera is one that's taken directly from the fish that you consumed. There are no other blood tests or lab work that can verify it as of yet.
The only thing you can do now is treat the symptoms. Generaly if it's Cigautera, you will expierence several neurological issues. Myself I have had severe headaches, neuropathies, daily nausea, just to name a few. They say that for most people the symptoms only last a few weeks to a couple of months, but in my case it has lasted over 11 months. If you have not seen a neurologist yet you should do so. Good luck - anon36768
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I ate some fish off the coast of Zanzibar, red snapper or Jack fish. I had severe diarrhea for five days and felt terrible really. Now a month later I am absoultely exhausted....Why? They believe it is ciguatera. There are apparently no tests, and no cures...Somebody help me understand this better! DK - anon36682
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I got Ciguatera while living on St. Croix over 10 yrs ago. I still have flare ups - recently I believe gaining a few pounds reactivated the toxin. Ciguatoxin is one of the most potent marine toxins. As I type this my entire left side is numb, my face is numb, my lips are numb, and the headaches are awful. I could go on and on but I can't bare to type out all the crazy symptoms I live with including nerve damage.Anyone with Ciguatera should be in the care of a Neurologist. Also checkout CFIDS Foundation website as well Florida Dept. of Health Aquatic Toxins Program. - anon33793
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I was on a diving and fishing vacation last August on the island of Roatan. During that trip I ate a large portion of fish that was tainted with Ciguatera toxin. Symptoms started about six hours later and included nausea, diarrhea, chilling, and just overall sick.The next morning I awoke in my own hell. My vision was completely whited out, only able to see outlines of objects. My body ached as if I had been hit by a truck, I had a headache like I had never experienced before. My heart rate felt like it had tripled, my hands and feet had gone numb and I had sharp spiking pain shooting through my extremities. Within the hour I was out again. The next thing I remember was waking up a day later, completely delirious and still experiencing all of these symptoms. I got myself a glass of cold water to take some pain relievers with, but was barely able to drink it due to a sensation that felt of hot and acidic. Several hours later I was awoken by the property's owner, telling me I was supposed to be on my flight back to the states within the hour. I seriously had no sense of time, and completely lost two days. They got me to the airport just in time to board the plane. As you can imagine The trip home was probably the worst experience of my life. When I arrived home my son took me straight to the ER. They initially drew some blood and gave me medication for the nausea, and Dilodid for my extreme headache. The doctor came in shortly after and told me I was in complete kidney failure. So it go's, I spent several days in the ICU, and thankfully regained function of my kidneys. Well it's been ten months now since I ate this fish and I am still experiencing the effects of it. I spent two weeks at the Mayo clinic in Scottsdale AZ, having test after test before finally being diagnosed with Ciguatera poisoning. I have been admitted to the hospital a couple more times, and have made several trips to the ER for the headaches. I experience the bad headaches at least three to four times a week. I have bouts with nausea most days. I always feel off balance and light headed. The toxin gave me a peripheral neuropathy in my extremities causing numbness and pain, and I now live with extreme fatigue. From most articles that I have come across, they state that most symptoms subside within days or weeks. Unfortunately I believe I'm the exception to that belief. So is there anybody else here living with this diagnosis. I wouldn't wish this upon anyone, but I would also like to think that I'm not the exception. - pinspot
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Written by
S.E. Smith
Last Modified: 07 August 2009
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