Ciguatera Toxin Syndrome from Amberjack Ingestion as a Cause of Chronic Dermatitis with Episodic Erythema

Bioaccumulation of naturally produced ciguatoxin (CTX), such as that in ciguatera poisoning, continues to be a subject of great interest. In this condition, CTX is ingested by subtropical and tropical reef fish. Humans consume the fish species, and CTX is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and binds voltage-gated sodium channels on nerve terminals to cause neurological, gastrointestinal, cardiac, and rare dermatological clinical manifestations. In this present case, we discuss a 65-year-old female who presented with acute loose bowel movements and generalized pruritus of her anterior chest wall, abdomen, and bilateral upper and lower extremities 48 hours after consumption of amberjack fish. The patient was treated with intravenous corticosteroids and epinephrine and discharged with an oral corticosteroid taper. After appropriate treatment protocol, the patient continued to have pruritus with a burning sensation in her extremities with a rare skin dermatitis. Subsequent treatment included topical corticosteroids and moisturizing lotion to create a skin barrier, fexofenadine for pruritus control, and gabapentin and amitriptyline for paresthesia. This case demonstrates the need for continued research and patient education into the broad clinical manifestations that present as life-altering ciguatera poisoning.