Puffer fish poisoning.

We report three cases of a collective tetrodotoxin poisoning, after ingesti on of puffer fish eggs. This neurotoxin is the most potent membrane stabili zer, blocking the nervous conduction and resulting in death from respirator y paralysis in case of massive ingestion. The father died at admission, the mother and her daughter presented an acute respiratory failure and a flacc id tetraplegia, with favourable outcome after 24 hours. (C) 2000 Editions s cientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.