TY - JOUR T1 - Characteristic Features and Contributory Factors in Fatal Ciguatera Fish Poisoning--Implications for Prevention and Public Education. A1 - Chan,Thomas Y K, Y1 - 2016/01/19/ PY - 2015/09/18/received PY - 2015/12/08/accepted PY - 2016/1/21/entrez PY - 2016/1/21/pubmed PY - 2016/8/19/medline SP - 704 EP - 9 JF - The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene JO - Am J Trop Med Hyg VL - 94 IS - 4 N2 - In this review, the main objective was to describe the characteristic features of fatal ciguatera fish poisoning and identify contributory factors, with a view to promote prevention and public education. Ciguatera-related deaths, although rare, have been reported from the Pacific, Caribbean, and Indian Ocean regions. The clinical features were generally dominated by convulsions and coma, with various focal neurological signs. Several contributory factors could be identified, including consumption of ciguatoxin (CTX)-rich fish parts (viscera and head) in larger amounts, the most ciguatoxic fish species (e.g.,Gymnothorax flavimarginatus) and reef fish collected after storms and individuals' susceptibility. Mass ciguatera fish poisoning with mortalities also occurred when G. flavimarginatus and other ciguatoxic fish species were shared in gatherings and parties. The characteristic features of fatal ciguatera fish poisoning must be recognized early. The public should be repeatedly reminded to avoid eating the most ciguatoxic fish species and the CTX-rich parts of reef fish. To prevent mass poisoning in gatherings and parties, the most ciguatoxic fish species and potentially toxic fish species must be avoided. Particularly after hits by disastrous storms, it is important to monitor the toxicity of reef fish and the incidence rates of ciguatera. SN - 1476-1645 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/26787145/full_citation L2 - http://www.ajtmh.org/content/journals/10.4269/ajtmh.15-0686?crawler=true&mimetype=application/pdf DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -