Marine Biotoxins and Human Health (Case Studies)

This chapter deals with the marine biotoxins and human health with case studies; transfer pathways of marine biotoxins through the natural marine food web to humans; and on the occurrence of major seafood poisonings and PSP, DSP, NSP, ASP, CFP, and TTX outbreaks in the world. Since ancient times, it has been well known that certain species of finfish and shellfish are poisonous/venomous and they can cause death when eaten or contacted. The first Chinese pharmacopoeia, of 2800 BC, reported on the injunctions against ingesting pufferfish ( WHO, 1984 ). Ingestion of contaminated seafood such as finfish or shellfish (crustaceans such as shrimps, crabs, and lobsters; and mollusks including clams, mussels, and cephalopods); skin contact with toxin-contaminated sea water; or the inhalation of aerosolized toxins are the causative factors of human toxicity. The lethal doses of certain marine biotoxins determined through intra-peritoneal (i.p) or oral administration to experimental mice, and the lethality of various PSP toxins, are given in the following tables.