Fish Poisoning Symptoms

Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and tiredness are the symptoms that may indicate that we are facing intoxication due to the consumption of fish, among other foods. Probably, the intoxication can have its origin in the consumption of contaminated fish and seafood, either by bacteria or toxins.

These pictures of intoxication can compromise the patient’s life if they are not submitted to treatment, due to dehydration and the electrolyte disturbances they cause. The child population and the elderly are the most susceptible to these complications.

Poisoning due to fish consumption

At certain times of the year, many species of fish and seafood contain poisonous biotoxins, which remain present even if the fish is well cooked. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), poisoning is considered a poorly recognized risk by travelers, especially those traveling to tropical and subtropical countries.

Fish that have these toxins do not have a bad appearance, foul odor, or unpleasant taste. Cooking, marinating, freezing or roasting them does not destroy the toxin, so poisoning due to fish consumption inevitably occurs.

1. Ciguatera poisoning

Reef fish from tropical and subtropical waters  of the West Indies, Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean pose the greatest threat. Cases have been reported in the United States, Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Florida.

More than 400 species of fish, mainly reef fish, are believed to contain the toxin that causes ciguatera poisoning.

What are the symptoms of ciguatera?

Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning usually appear within minutes to six hours of eating the contaminated fish. Symptoms include a variety of gastrointestinal, neurological and cardiovascular abnormalities. They may include the following:

• Nausea
• vomiting
• Watery diarrhea
• Headache
• Numbness and tingling around the mouth and extremities

In more severe cases, the person suffers from muscle pain, dizziness, and a feeling of temperature change, meaning that hot things feel cold and cold things feel hot. You may also experience an irregular heart rhythm and low blood pressure. Symptoms usually  disappear after several days, and the condition can last up to four weeks.

2. Scombride poisoning

Scombrotoxin, also known as histamine poisoning,  occurs after eating fish that contain high levels of histamine  due to improper handling of food.

These fish, which include dolphin, yellowfin, bluefin tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, herring, spade, serviola, and abalone, have large amounts of histidine. As a consequence of inadequate preservation, the bacteria converts histidine into histamine, causing intoxication.

What are the symptoms of scombride poisoning?

Symptoms usually  appear within a few minutes to an hour after eating the fish. They usually last up to three hours but can persist for several days. Symptoms may include the following:

• Tingling or burning sensation in the mouth
• Rash on face and upper body
• Shortness of breathe
• drop in blood pressure
• throbbing headache
• Hives and itchy skin
• Nausea
• vomiting
• Diarrhea

Symptoms may resemble other conditions or health problems. Many cases of “fish allergy” are actually scombroidosis. Always talk to your doctor to get an accurate diagnosis.

3. Tetrodotoxin poisoning, also called puffer fish poisoning

Tetrodotoxin, also called puffer fish poisoning, is a much rarer form of poisoning due to fish consumption. However, it is potentially very serious. It is almost exclusively associated with the consumption of puffer fish from the waters of the Indo-Pacific regions.

Cases of pufferfish poisoning, including deaths, have also been reported in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Gulf of California.

What are the symptoms of puffer fish poisoning?

Symptoms usually  appear within 20 minutes to 3 hours of ingesting the poisonous puffer fish. Below, we will present the most common symptoms of puffer fish poisoning:

• Numbness of lips and tongue
• Numbness of the face and extremities
• feeling of floating
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• difficulty speaking
• Generalized muscle weakness
• Convulsions
• respiratory failure
• cardiac arrhythmia

In more severe cases, death can occur within four to six hours of poisoning. Therefore, it is essential to seek immediate medical attention.

How to avoid poisoning due to fish consumption?

To avoid ciguatera poisoning, avoid eating the fish that transmit it. These include amber, grouper, snapper, sturgeon, mackerel, barracuda and brown eel. The venom is more concentrated in the fish’s internal organs, so you should never eat these parts of the animal.

To avoid scombride poisoning, do not eat fish that has not been properly refrigerated. Take special care when eating fish such as tuna, sardines, mackerel, dorado or anchovies.