title: Sago haemolysis: clinical features and microbiological studies.
abstract: Severe, acute and sometimes fatal intravascular haemolysis has occurred on several occasions in Papua New Guinea families after the ingestion of apparently 'stale' sago. Earlier cases had been recorded only from the Maprik area; however, we now report the occurrence of two similar outbreaks, involving a total of 14 persons, in the Western Province. Several bacteria and fungi were isolated and identified in a sample of suspect sago from one of the outbreaks. None of these, however, to our knowledge, has ever been incriminated as a cause of haemolysis, and the aetiological agent(s) and mechanism of haemolysis thus remain to be elucidated. No mycotoxins were detected in one sample available for analysis. It is suggested that the eating of sago stored for a long time be discouraged; and further that, if a meal of sago tastes abnormal, additional mouthfuls should not be eaten and the remaining portion should be sent for analysis or discarded.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D001407:Bacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009512:New Guinea
chemical_list: D009183:Mycotoxins