title: Lethal paralytic shellfish poisoning in Guatemala.
abstract: An outbreak of paralytic shellfish poisoning occurred in Champerico, on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, July-August 1987. Of 187 people affected with characteristic neurologic symptoms, 26 died. A case study implicated a species of clam, Amphichaena kindermani, harvested from local beaches as the vehicle of the neurotoxins (saxitoxins). Children less than 6 years old had a higher fatality rate (50%) than people greater than 18 years of age (7%). The minimum lethal dose for 1 child was estimated to have been 140 mouse units of toxin/kg body weight; thus children may be more sensitive to the saxitoxins than are adults. This is the first large outbreak of paralytic shellfish poisoning recognized in Guatemala.
authors.affiliation: Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rodrigue
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Etzel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Porras
authors.forename: O H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Velasquez
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Tauxe
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kilbourne
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Blake
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006166:Guatemala / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010243:Paralysis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012530:Saxitoxin / Q000506:poisoning*; D057096:Shellfish Poisoning
chemical_list: D012530:Saxitoxin