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Neurological – Cardiovascular – Gastrointestinal

Signs and symptoms1

 

Emergency medi-cal treatment2

 

Poisoning and differential diagnosis

 

Specific treatment

             
             

Neurological
Acroparaesthesias.
Cranial nerve deficts.
Paralysis, including paralysis of the respiratory musculature → Respiratory failure

  Endotracheal
intubation,
artificial ventilation;
etc.
 

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) 

   
         
   

Tetrodotoxin poisoning

   
             

Neurological + temperature dysaethesias 
Numbness, tingling, itching (palms of the hands, soles of the feet, lips, oral mucosa). 
Temperature dysaesthesias: Painful tingling or burning sensation to cold objects, air, fluids.
Vertigo, loss of consciousness, cerebellar syndrome, balance disturbance, hallucinations, depression, memory loss, concentration problems, behavioural disturbance, visual disturbance, multi-tasking problems, giddiness.

 

Mannitol

Endotracheal
intubation,
artificial ventilation;
etc.

 

Ciguatera

   
             

Neurological with a focus on CNS
Coma, cerebral seizures (in the acute phase and spontaneous recurrent seizures weeks to months after ingestion), mutism, involuntary chewing and grimacing, emotional instability (uncontrolled screaming and aggression), headache, short-term memory loss, increased bronchial secretion

  Endotracheal intubation,
artificial ventilation,
etc.
  Amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP)    
                   

Cardiovascular
Bradycardia, arrhythmia, arterial hypotension

    
   

Treatment of cardiovacular problem

    
  Ciguatera    
            
    Tetrodotoxin poisoning    
         
    Amnesic shellfih poisoning (ASP)    
                   

Gastrointestinal
Vomiting, diarrhoea → Dehydration (!), abdominal pain.

        
     

Rehydration

        
 

Diarrhoetic shellfish poisoning (DSP)
Ciguatera
Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)
Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning
Amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP)

    
            
   

Other forms of poisoning caused by poisonous animals (see Biomedical database entries)

   
         
    DD: Infectious gastroenteritis        
         
   

DD:Type E botulism

 

Trivalent ABE antitoxin

            
    DD: Poisoning by contaminated foodstuffs   

Refer to
toxicology manuals

Allergic

Signs and symptoms   Emergency medical treatment (supportive)   Poisoning and differential diagnosis   Specific treatment
             
Skin

Urticaria, redness, angio-oedema, itching

Respiratory
Dyspnoea

Cardiovascular
Arrhythmias, arterial hypotension

Gastrointestinal
vomiting, diarrhoea → dehydration, abdominal pain

    
 

H1 blockers and H2 blockers

For full advise on mild, moderate and severe scombroid fish poisoning see section 'Clinical management' in 'Clinical entries: Scombroid fish poisoning'.

  Scombroid fish poisoning     
       
       
           
  Treatment of immediate-type allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock                 DD: Allergy to fish, shellfish or crab    
         
         
    DD: Allergies to other foodstuffs and food additives