Abstract
We report on six cases of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning following consumption of mussels harvested in the United Kingdom. Dinophysis spp. in the water column was found to have increased rapidly at the production site resulting in high levels of okadaic acid-group lipophilic toxins in the flesh of consumed mussels. Clinicians and public health professionals should remain aware of algal-derived toxins being a potential cause of illness following seafood consumption.
Keywords:
Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning; harmful algal bloom; okadaic acid.
MeSH terms
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Abdominal Pain / etiology
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Adult
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Aged
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Animals
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Bivalvia / chemistry*
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Diarrhea / epidemiology*
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Dinoflagellida / chemistry
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Dinoflagellida / isolation & purification
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Disease Outbreaks
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Environmental Monitoring / methods*
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Female
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Fever / etiology
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Food Contamination
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Humans
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Male
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Marine Toxins / analysis*
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Marine Toxins / chemistry
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Middle Aged
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Nausea / etiology
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Okadaic Acid / analysis*
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Okadaic Acid / chemistry
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Okadaic Acid / poisoning*
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Seafood / analysis*
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Shellfish Poisoning / epidemiology
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Shellfish Poisoning / prevention & control*
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United Kingdom / epidemiology
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Vomiting / etiology
Substances
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Marine Toxins
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Okadaic Acid