title: Ciguatera toxicity.
abstract: Ciguatera poisoning is the most common foodborne illness caused by a chemical toxin in the United States and is endemic in the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific. Ciguatoxin, produced by a marine dinoflagellate that attaches to algae, is passed up the food chain to large fish and, finally, to humans. The toxin has anticholinesterase activity. The clinical picture is characterized by a variety of gastrointestinal, neurologic and cardiovascular symptoms, usually self-limited. Amitriptyline is reported to be beneficial.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D036841:Ciguatera Poisoning; D005399:Fishes; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000506:poisoning*; D010139:Pacific Islands; D014481:United States; D014900:West Indies
chemical_list: D008387:Marine Toxins