title: Three clusters of ciguatera poisoning: clinical manifestations and public health implications.
abstract: Between July 1997 and August 1998 we investigated three clusters (26 cases) of ciguatera poisoning in the inner Sydney area. Tropical reef fish were implicated in each cluster. Most of those affected had musculoskeletal, neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms. The clusters raise questions about the need for rapid diagnosis and enhanced surveillance mechanisms, the regulation of fish supply, and the lack of testing facilities for ciguatera toxin.
authors.affiliation: Central Sydney Area Health Service Public Health Unit, Camperdown, NSW.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karalis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Capra
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Maywood
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D036841:Ciguatera Poisoning; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018563:Disease Notification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011041:Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data