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Paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, happens after consuming shellfish contaminated with saxitoxin, which can cause gastrointestinal distress, neurological symptoms, and a sensation of ...
Shellfish poisoning includes four syndromes that share some common features and are primarily associated with bivalve molluscs (such as mussels, clams, oysters and scallops.) [1] As filter feeders, these shellfish may accumulate toxins produced by microscopic organisms, such as cyanobacteria, diatoms and dinoflagellates.
Paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, is caused by saxitoxin, a naturally occurring toxin that’s produced by algae. Saxitoxin is a neurotoxin, meaning it can damage nerve tissue.
PSP is the most common and severe form of shellfish poisoning and is caused by neurotoxins, called saxitoxins or paralytic shellfish toxins, that are naturally produced by marine algae, called ...
Saxitoxin is a neurotoxin naturally produced by certain species of marine dinoflagellates (Alexandrium sp., Gymnodinium sp., Pyrodinium sp.) and freshwater cyanobacteria (Dolichospermum cicinale sp., some Aphanizomenon spp., Cylindrospermopsis sp., Lyngbya sp., Planktothrix sp.) [1] [2] Saxitoxin accumulates in "planktivorous invertebrates, including mollusks (bivalves and gastropods ...
DSP and its symptoms usually set in within about half an hour of ingesting infected shellfish, and last for about one day. The causative poison is okadaic acid, which inhibits intestinal cellular dephosphorylation. [1] This causes the cells to become very water-permeable and the host to profusely defecate into a high risk of dehydration.
Okadaic acid, C 44 H 68 O 13, is a toxin produced by several species of dinoflagellates, and is known to accumulate in both marine sponges and shellfish. [1] One of the primary causes of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, okadaic acid is a potent inhibitor of specific protein phosphatases and is known to have a variety of negative effects on cells.
Like every saxitoxin, the gonyautoxins are neurotoxins and cause a disease known as paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). [3] For humans a dose of 1–4 mg of these toxins is already lethal. Shellfish can contain more than 10 micrograms of gonyautoxin per 100 gram weight, inducing that the consumption of a few mussels can already be fatal for ...