ABSTRACT
Ciguatera is a human seafood poisoning resulting from the consumption of a large variety of tropical reef fish and possibly of some marine invertebrates. Ciguatera toxins can be divided into two classes: the lipid-soluble ciguatoxins and the water-soluble maitotoxins. Ciguatera directly impacts on the health of inhabitants, but also has indirect effects on health through avoidance of reef fish which would otherwise provide an important source of protein. Potential risk exists from ingesting fish from tropical and sub-tropical coastal and insular areas of the Pacific and Indian oceans, and the Caribbean. Ciguateric dinoflagellates are typically associated with coral reef ecosystems but their habitats also include tide pools, bays and near docks. Weakness is the most common symptom in Fiji and in Australia. Many other symptoms have been reported, such as dysuria, chills, sweating, vertigo, neck stiffness, skin rash, ophthalmologic signs, generalized pruritic reaction following alcohol ingestion, metallic taste in the mouth, psychiatric disorders84, vulvar pruritus, polymyositis and polyneuropathy.
