|
Some
Symptoms
|
Gastrointestinal (vomiting,
abdominal pain) and Neurological (confusion, memory loss, seizure)
|
Mild gastrointestinal disorder
(nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain) accompanied by chills, fever
|
Tingling and numbness of lips,
tongue and throat; dizziness and muscle aches; nausea, diarrhea
|
Neurological: tingling, numbness,
incoherent speech
|
|
Associated
foods
(all
shellfish are potentially toxic; but some are more closely linked)
|
Mussels
|
Mussels, oysters, scallops
|
Shellfish from along Florida coast
and Gulf of Mexico
|
Mussels, clams, cockles, scallops
|
|
Course
of Disease
|
Gastrointestinal symptoms within
24 hours, neurological within 48 hours; all fatalities to date involve
elderly patients
|
Onset minutes to hours (depending
on toxin level); duration of days, complete recovery
|
Onset minutes to hours; short
duration (hours to days); complete recovery
|
Onset 0.5-2 hours after ingestion;
death may result from respiratory paralysis
|