Pufferfish PoisoningMedical Author:
Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM
Medical Editor:
N Stuart Harris, MD, MFA
Medical Editor:
Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD
Medical Editor:
James Kimo Takayesu, MD
Pufferfish Poisoning OverviewThe poison found in pufferfish, blowfish, balloon fish, toads, sunfish, porcupine fish, toadfish, globefish, and swellfish is a tetrodotoxin. This is one of the most toxic poisons found in nature. Most people who eat pufferfish do so intentionally; pufferfish are considered an Asian delicacy, served in some types of sushi and sashimi. Unless the chef is specially trained to cut the meat in a particular fashion, the dish may contain a large amount of the toxin. Pufferfish poisoning is similar to paralytic shellfish poisoning. |
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Pufferfish Poisoning
Poisoning Overview
If you or someone you know has swallowed or breathed in a poison, and you or they have serious signs or symptoms (nausea, vomiting, pain, trouble breathing, seizure, confusion, or abnormal skin color), then you must either call an ambulance for transport to a hospital emergency department or call a poison control center for guidance. The National Poison Control Center phone number in the U.S. is 1-800-222-1222.
If the person has no symptoms but has taken a potentially dangerous poison, you should also call a poison control center or go to the nearest emergency department for an evaluation.
Poison is anything that kills or injures through its chemical actions. Most poisons are swallowed (ingested). The word poison comes from the Latin word - potare - meaning to drink. But poisons can also enter the body in other ways:
- By breathing
- Through the skin
- By IV injection
- F...
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Toxicity, Tetrodotoxin »
Poisoning with the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin (TTX) occurs after ingestion of various species of puffer fish (seeMedia file 1).
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