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Puffer fish poisoning: a potentially life-threatening condition
Geoffrey K Isbister1, Julie Son, Frank Wang
1Discipline of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Waratah, NSW. gsbite@bigpond.com
The Medical Journal of Australia
|December 5, 2002
Abstract:
Puffer fish poisoning has been documented rarely in Australia. It results from ingesting tetrodoxtoxin found in the liver, ovaries, intestines and skin of the fish. Over a recent 16-month period, 11 cases of puffer fish poisoning were reported to the NSW Poisons Information Centre. Symptoms of poisoning may include paralysis, respiratory failure, numbness, paraesthesia, nausea and ataxia. Health professionals should be aware of the condition so as to institute early and appropriate management.