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Evaluation of Water and Its Contaminants
Published in William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel, Reversibility of Chronic Disease and Hypersensitivity, Volume 5, 2017
William J. Rea, Kalpana D. Patel
Amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) is caused by consumption of shellfish that have accumulated domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by some strains of phytoplankton. The neurotoxic properties of domoic acid result in neuronal degeneration and necrosis in specific regions of the hippocampus. A serious outbreak of ASP occurred in Canada in 1987 and involved 150 reported cases, 19 hospitalizations, and 4 deaths after consumption of contaminated mussels. Symptoms ranged from gastrointestinal disturbances, to neurotoxic effects such as hallucinations, memory loss, and coma. Monitoring programs are in place in numerous countries worldwide and closures of shellfish harvesting areas occur when domoic acid concentrations exceed regulatory limits.
Factors driving the seasonal dynamics of Pseudo-nitzschia species and domoic acid at mussel farming in the SW Mediterranean Sea
Published in Chemistry and Ecology, 2020
Sondes Melliti Ben Garali, Inès Sahraoui, Pablo de la Iglesia, Mohamed Chalghaf, Jorge Diogène, Jamel Ksouri, Asma Sakka Hlaili
Domoic acid (DA) was firstly described in the red macroalga Chondria armata [1], and later recorded in 1987 in Prince Edward Island, Eastern Canada, where it was responsible for three deaths and the poisoning of over 100 people [2]. Since this time, the toxin was discovered in many parts of the world, and become a threat in several regions worldwide [3]. Research into the risks associated with DA toxicity has highlighted the importance of both the acute and chronic effects of DA on the health of many marine organisms including mammals, seabirds and humans [4,5]. The toxin can be transferred effectively to higher trophic levels via filter feeders such as molluscan shellfish, copepods crustaceans and fishes (reviewed by [6–8]). Once ingested, the toxin can provoke Domoic Acid Poisoning (DAP) in birds and marine Mammals [9] and Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) in humans, which represents a serious threat for their health [8,10].