Onset of Ciguatera Fish Poisoning and associated dinoflagellates in temperate regions

Alverca, Elsa

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/376

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Authors

Alverca, Elsa

Abstract(s)

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP) is a form of human poisoning, quite common and widespread in tropical and subtropical regions. It results from the ingestion of fish contaminated with toxins produced by benthic dinoflagellates belonging to the genus Gambierdiscus. These toxins, namely the lipid-soluble ciguatoxins (CTXs), are first bioaccumulated in herbivorous fish and transferred to larger carnivorous fish through the marine food web until reaching humans. Although Gambierdiscus dinoflagellates are the only known CTXs producers, in ciguatera-endemic regions they co-occur with other toxic dinoflagellate species of the genera Ostreopsis, Prorocentrum, Amphidinium and Coolia, forming a characteristic benthic/epiphytic dinoflagellate assemblage. From this group, species of Ostreopsis are the ones that raise a major concern as they can produce palytoxin analogues, one of the most potent marine biotoxins. Until recently, the CFP was considered a tropical/subtropical endemic problem. However, a growing number of ciguatera poisoning cases are being reported in Europe and the presence of Gambierdiscus sp. both in the Mediterranean Sea and in Canary Islands has also been detected, suggesting that this problem is already affecting regions in temperate latitudes. Additionally, during the last 15 years, reports of toxic episodes involving benthic dinoflagellates belonging to the ciguatera community, in particular Ostreopsis, have had a marked increase in warm-temperate areas particularly the Mediterranean Sea, affecting several countries of this region like Spain, Italy, France, Greece and more recently Portugal. Although, these phenomena are already recognized as an emergent public health problem in temperate regions, and specific monitoring plans are now being implemented in the mostly affected Mediterranean countries, effective and uniform programs for risk assessment are still lacking. Within this talk, this issue, as well as the challenges posed in the management of the Harmful Benthic Algal Blooms will be addressed.