ABSTRACT Case Series: Cardiac Toxicity in Ciguatera Poisoning R L Saville, C R Towns, C Cameron Ciguatera poisoning is a foodborne disease, caused by toxins in reef fish. We present 3 cases from a single family who were admitted to Wellington Hospital for management of severe hypotension and bradycardia secondary to cardiac toxicity after ingesting cooked eel which had been transported from Samoa in personal luggage. Cardiac toxicity, the most concerning feature in our case series, is less common than the typical neurological or gastrointestinal symptoms (occurring in 13-15%) but may be associated with more serious illness1,2 . The patients required multiple doses of atropine and monitoring in the high dependency unit. They were discharged after 2-5 days. Ciguatera is not currently a notifiable disease in New Zealand or Australia and hence there is a paucity of accurate data on its true incidence. This is concerning given that cases are predicted to increase with global warming and rising sea water temperatures3. Given the proximity of the Pacific Islands, health professionals in Australasia should be well educated with regard to the presentation, prevention and management of Ciguatera Poisoning. Biosecurity authorities should also be encouraged to review their policy on importation of ‘at risk’ fish for personal use. References:
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