A review of selected seafood poisonings

Seafood poisoning has been recognized as a problem in both coastal and inla nd populations for millennia. Many types of sea creatures from shellfish to the largest fish have been implicated. Severe cases of many different type s of seafood poisonings can result in fatalities. While the pathophysiology of the toxins is well known in some cases, others, like ciguatera, remain somewhat confusing. As a result, the treatment of these conditions remains controversial, although supportive care continues to be the mainstay of the rapy. In this manuscript, we review the pathophysiology, clinical presentat ion, and treatment of some of the most common and toxic varieties of seafoo d poisoning resulting from toxins.