Presumptive case of ciguatera fish poisoning in Mangalore, India

Abstract

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) occurs when humans ingest fishes contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTXs). Two individuals developed suspected ciguatera poisoning after consuming unknown fish purchased from a local market in Mangalore, India. DNA barcoding confirmed the fish under study to be Lutjanus bohar. A mouse bioassay study detected high levels of CTX in the implicated fish. Mice injected with toxin showed typical symptoms of CTX poisoning. To the best of our knowledge, this is a first case report of CFP due to consumption of L. bohar in India.