Unusual illness sickens Galveston couple after eating fish

(5/08/07 - KTRK/GALVESTON, TX) (KTRK) -- A fishing trip turned into a health problem for a couple in Galveston. The man and woman are reportedly being treated for ciguatera they contracted after eating a fish.

The couple caught the grouper back in March at the Flower Garden marine sanctuary about 100 miles southeast of Galveston. Ciguatera is the most common form of seafood poisoning. It's often caused by eating a marine species that is contaminated with the toxin.

The Food and Drug Administration tells us the toxin is often present in fish in tropical waters at the top of the food chain -- such as barracuda, eel and grouper. It hasn't typically been found the in Gulf waters in the past.

The symptoms of ciguatera include nausea and diarrhea, usually followed by neurological symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, numbness and hallucinations. These symptoms usually go away in days or weeks but can last for years.

Ciguatera poisoning is frequently misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis. The ciguatera toxin is very heat-resistant, so cooking the fish won't kill the bacteria. Click here for more information from the Centers for Disease Control.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•