RESUMO
Ciguatera toxicity is a type of seafood poisoning caused by the consumption of ciguatoxic reef fish. We describe two patients with characteristic gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, both of whom had eaten local seafood. Although mortality is low, morbidity can be considerable due to debilitating symptoms. Most cases originate in the (sub)tropics but due to expanding tourism and fish exportation, it may be encountered in more temperate regions. Treatment is supportive, but some benefit from intravenous mannitol has been reported.
Assuntos
Ciguatera/diagnóstico , Viagem , Adulto , Ciguatera/etnologia , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Feminino , Humanos , México/etnologia , Países Baixos/epidemiologia , Queensland/etnologiaRESUMO
A 26-year-old woman presented with a 2-day history of fever peaking to 39 degrees C and cold shivers that developed after a 2-weeks trip to Guatemala and Belize. Prior to the fever the patient had felt symptoms of a common cold and general malaise. Moreover, she complained of generalised myalgia and nausea. She had taken paludrine as a prophylactic against malaria. Borrelia spirochaetes, the pathogen of relapsing fever, were detected in a thick blood smear preparation. On the basis of the anamnesis, geography and specific exposure, the patient had a form of relapsing fever that is transmitted by ticks and not by lice: tick-borne relapsing fever. She was treated with doxycycline, 100 mg b.i.d. for 7 days. She could be discharged home in good condition after 2 days.