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
Listeria Listeria Listeria is a genus of bacteria that, until 1992, contained 10 known species, each containing two subspecies. As of 2014, another five species were identified. Named after the British pioneer of sterile surgery Joseph Lister, the genus received its current name in 1940. "Listeria" species are gram-positive, rod-shaped, and facultatively anaerobic, and do not produce endospores. The major human pathogen in the genus "Listeria" is "L. monocytogenes". It is usually the causative agent of the relatively rare bacterial disease listeriosis, an infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteria. Listeriosis can cause serious illness in pregnant women, newborns,