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Update on histamine fish poisoning.

L Lehane1

  • 1National Office of Animal and Plant Health, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry-Australia, Canberra, ACT. leigh.lehane@affa.gov.au

The Medical Journal of Australia
|September 9, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Histamine fish poisoning (HFP) is a common chemical intoxication from contaminated fish, often misdiagnosed and underestimated. Cooking does not eliminate the histamine toxin, posing a continued risk even when fish appear and smell normal.

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Area of Science:

  • Food safety
  • Toxicology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Histamine fish poisoning (HFP) is a chemical intoxication resulting from consuming fish contaminated with specific bacteria.
  • HFP incidence is likely underestimated due to mild symptoms, lack of mandatory reporting, and frequent misdiagnosis as seafood allergy.
  • Fish become toxic post-capture as bacterial growth increases histamine levels, irrespective of sensory qualities like smell or appearance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the underestimation of Histamine Fish Poisoning (HFP) incidence.
  • To explain the mechanism of histamine accumulation in fish.
  • To discuss the challenges in diagnosing and managing HFP.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on HFP.
  • Analysis of diagnostic challenges and misdiagnosis patterns.
  • Explanation of histamine formation and stability in fish.

Main Results:

  • HFP is frequently mild, leading to underreporting.
  • Misdiagnosis as seafood allergy is common.
  • Histamine levels increase with bacterial contamination; cooking does not neutralize the toxin.

Conclusions:

  • Accurate diagnosis and reporting of HFP are crucial for understanding its true incidence.
  • Awareness of HFP is important for public health, especially given that histamine is heat-stable.
  • Further research may be needed to fully elucidate the role of other toxins or potentiators in HFP pathogenesis.

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