Ciguatera fish poisoning Ciguatera fish poisoning Ciguatera fish poisoning, also known simply as ciguatera, is a foodborne illness caused by eating reef fish whose flesh is contaminated with certain toxins. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, numbness, itchiness, sensitivity to hot and cold, dizziness, and weakness. The onset of symptoms varies with the amount of toxin eaten from half an hour to up to two days. The diarrhea may last for up to four days. Some symptoms typically remain for a few weeks to months. Heart difficulties such as slow heart rate and low blood pressure may also occur. The specific toxins involved are
Foodborne illness and The World Health Organization published have made a global ranking of food-borne parasites using a multicriteria ranking tool concluding that "Taenia solium" was the most relevant, followed by "Echinococcus granulosus", "Echinococcus multilocularis", and "Toxoplasma gondii". The same method was used regionally to rank the most important food-borne parasites in Europe ranking "Echinococcus multilocularis" of highest relevance, followed by "Toxoplasma gondii" and "Trichinella spiralis". Food may be contaminated during all stages of food production and retailing. In order to prevent viral contamination, regulatory authorities in Europe have enacted several measures: Foodborne illness Foodborne illness (also foodborne disease and colloquially referred