Lethal paralytic shellfish poisoning in Guatemala

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1990 Mar;42(3):267-71. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1990.42.267.

Abstract

An outbreak of paralytic shellfish poisoning occurred in Champerico, on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, July-August 1987. Of 187 people affected with characteristic neurologic symptoms, 26 died. A case study implicated a species of clam, Amphichaena kindermani, harvested from local beaches as the vehicle of the neurotoxins (saxitoxins). Children less than 6 years old had a higher fatality rate (50%) than people greater than 18 years of age (7%). The minimum lethal dose for 1 child was estimated to have been 140 mouse units of toxin/kg body weight; thus children may be more sensitive to the saxitoxins than are adults. This is the first large outbreak of paralytic shellfish poisoning recognized in Guatemala.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Bivalvia*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Female
  • Guatemala / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Paralysis / epidemiology
  • Paralysis / etiology*
  • Saxitoxin / poisoning*
  • Shellfish Poisoning*

Substances

  • Saxitoxin