Description:

Seafood consumption is the leading cause of foodborne illness with known etiology. It is anticipated that the number of cases will continue to rise over the next decade with shifting preferences to heart-healthy diets, increased travel to coastal destinations, increased consumption of imported fish, the growth of coastal urban communities, and growing segments of the population involved in marine recreation. The greatest seafood intoxication risks in the United States today are ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP), neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP), paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), puffer fish poisoning, and scombroid fish poisoning. Effective prevention, early diagnosis, symptom management, and case reporting of these illnesses are important to mitigate the potential impact from some of the most potent naturally occurring toxins known to date.