title: Paralytic shellfish poisoning: a case series.
abstract: We describe a case series of seven patients presenting to an emergency department with symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning. They developed varying degrees of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, ataxia and paresthesias after eating mussels harvested from a beach near their resort. Four patients were admitted to the hospital, one due to increasing respiratory failure requiring endotracheal intubation and the remainder for respiratory monitoring. All patients made a full recovery, most within 24 hours. The ability to recognize and identify paralytic shellfish poisoning and manage its complications are important to providers of emergency medicine.
authors.affiliation: Washington Poison Control Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.affiliation: Madigan Army Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Tacoma, Washington.
authors.forename: Cameron
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wolterstorff
authors.affiliation: Madigan Army Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Tacoma, Washington.
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.affiliation: Washington Poison Control Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schultz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D012530:Saxitoxin / Q000506:poisoning*; D057096:Shellfish Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D012530:Saxitoxin