[Ciguatera: eight imported cases].
BACKGROUND
Ciguatera poisoning is a clinical syndrome associated to consumption of marine fish with toxins as ciguatoxin, maitotoxin, scariotoxin, palytoxin and okadaic acid, produced by dinoflagellates present in seas with coral reefs. It has a wide distribution in tropic ans sub-tropic areas.


METHODS
We review the clinical records of 8 patients diagnosed of ciguatera from 1993 of 2001. Diagnosis was based on clinical picture and the antecedent of eating fish from endemic area.


RESULTS
All patients were travelers, and all showed neurological symptoms, as parestesias and paradoxical dysesthesia. Five patients received treatment with intravenous mannitol, with fast improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Travelers to danger zones, mainly Caribbean area, Indic Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions, should be noticed about the risk of ciguatera.
Puente Puente
S
S
Sección de Medicina Tropical, Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Carlos III, Madrid. spuente.hciii@salud.madrid.ort
Cabrera Majada
A
A
Lago Núñez
M
M
Azuara Solís
M
M
González-Lahoz
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D036841:Ciguatera Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014195:Travel