Brevetoxicosis: red tides and marine mammal mortalities.
Potent marine neurotoxins known as brevetoxins are produced by the 'red tide' dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. They kill large numbers of fish and cause illness in humans who ingest toxic filter-feeding shellfish or inhale toxic aerosols. The toxins are also suspected of having been involved in events in which many manatees and dolphins died, but this has usually not been verified owing to limited confirmation of toxin exposure, unexplained intoxication mechanisms and complicating pathologies. Here we show that fish and seagrass can accumulate high concentrations of brevetoxins and that these have acted as toxin vectors during recent deaths of dolphins and manatees, respectively. Our results challenge claims that the deleterious effects of a brevetoxin on fish (ichthyotoxicity) preclude its accumulation in live fish, and they reveal a new vector mechanism for brevetoxin spread through food webs that poses a threat to upper trophic levels.
Flewelling
Leanne J
LJ
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St Petersburg, Florida 33701, USA.
Naar
Jerome P
JP
Abbott
Jay P
JP
Baden
Daniel G
DG
Barros
Nélio B
NB
Bossart
Gregory D
GD
Bottein
Marie-Yasmine D
MY
Hammond
Daniel G
DG
Haubold
Elsa M
EM
Heil
Cynthia A
CA
Henry
Michael S
MS
Jacocks
Henry M
HM
Leighfield
Tod A
TA
Pierce
Richard H
RH
Pitchford
Thomas D
TD
Rommel
Sentiel A
SA
Scott
Paula S
PS
Steidinger
Karen A
KA
Truby
Earnest W
EW
Van Dolah
Frances M
FM
Landsberg
Jan H
JH
D000818:Animals; D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000737:chemistry*; D004289:Dolphins / Q000378:metabolism; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D020387:Food Chain; D005766:Gastrointestinal Contents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000378:metabolism*; D008386:Marine Biology; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000032:analysis*; D035964:Oxocins / Q000032:analysis*; D020455:Trichechus / Q000378:metabolism; D000095702:Polyether Toxins
D008387:Marine Toxins; D035964:Oxocins; C053342:brevetoxin; D000095702:Polyether Toxins