Abstract
This study reports the data recorded from four patients intoxicated with shellfish during the summer 2002, after consuming ribbed mussels (Aulacomya ater) with paralytic shellfish toxin contents of 8,066 +/- 61.37 microg/100 gr of tissue. Data associated with clinical variables and paralytic shellfish toxins analysis in plasma and urine of the intoxicated patients are shown. For this purpose, the evolution of respiratory frequency, arterial blood pressure and heart rate of the poisoned patients were followed and recorded. The clinical treatment to reach a clinically stable condition and return to normal physiological parameters was a combination of hydration with saline solution supplemented with Dobutamine (vasoactive drug), Furosemide (diuretic) and Ranitidine (inhibitor of acid secretion). The physiological condition of patients began to improve after four hours of clinical treatment, and a stable condition was reached between 12 to 24 hours. The HPLC-FLD analysis showed only the GTX3/GTX2 epimers in the blood and urine samples. Also, these epimers were the only paralytic shellfish toxins found in the shellfish extract sample.
Highlights
Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) corresponds to a syndrome produced by intoxication with paralytic shellfish toxins (PST)
This study reports the data recorded from four patients intoxicated with shellfish during the summer 2002, after consuming ribbed mussels (Aulacomya ater) with paralytic shellfish toxin contents of 8,066 ± 61.37 μg/ 100 gr of tissue
Five minutes after ingestion, they presented characteristic symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning: oral paresthesia and vomiting, which resulted in their arrival at the emergency room in Quellón
Summary
Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) corresponds to a syndrome produced by intoxication with paralytic shellfish toxins (PST). These toxins are all hydrophilic, of low molecular weight (under 500 Da) and have a skeleton of 3,4,6-trialkyl tetrahidropurine. Paralytic shellfish toxins shows high affinity for voltage-gated sodium channels, blocking the nerve impulse transmission (Henderson et al, 1973; Strichartz 1984; Guo et al, 1987; Hu & Kao 1991). The intoxication syndrome shows characteristic symptoms such as oral paresthesia, asthenia, disthonia, ataxia, dyspnea, hypotension, tachycardia, vomiting and muscular weakness. If the amount of PST is high enough, the intoxication can result in death. Paralytic shellfish poisoning has the highest mortality rate (13%) of all marine toxins (Lagos, 1998)
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