Tainted grouper poisons 10 in Palm Beach County

[Captain Juan]

This was in the Slum Sentinel this morning in case ya missed it. Sure some big Isaac yellowfin grouper were responsible. Though blacks could have it too. Article points the finger at black grouper. However, you never know what you're getting when you order grouper in a restaurant as it is the fish most often fraudently sold as grouper when it's some other junk fish. Obviously most of us know grouper meat well enough to know the difference but not the average person. I for one only eat the fish I or people I know catch. I do eat shellfish at restaurants. I bought a Cigua kit from Vern Harry last year and use it.

High tides y ten mucho cuidadado con las chernas!

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Tainted grouper poisons 10 in Palm Beach County
By Patty Pensa

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

11:21 PM EDT, July 17, 2008

The Food and Drug Administration is tracking the origin of black grouper that sickened 10 Palm Beach County residents since late June.

Seven of the 10 went to hospital emergency departments and were diagnosed with ciguatera, a food poisoning that occurs after eating certain fish contaminated with a toxin found in algae, county health officials said.

Two caught their grouper in the Bahamas while the others bought the fish at Whole Foods Market or a fish market, said Tim O'Connor, health department spokesman. The Whole Foods was identified as the Palm Beach Gardens store, but the location and name of the fish market was not available.

At the same time, a dozen people from Amelia Island also got sick from fish. Federal officials want to find out where the fish were caught to determine whether fishing needs to be restricted in certain areas.

The illness is associated with larger, older fish that feed on fish that eat algae. Ciguatoxin builds up in fish like grouper, red snapper, barracuda and mackerel. It's impossible to spot a contaminated fish before eating it, but officials recommend distributors and sport fishermen avoid grouper or other reef fish more than 5 pounds.

"You can't see it, you can't smell it and it doesn't have a taste," O'Connor said.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Unlike most food poisoning, ciguatera also comes with what's known as reverse sensation, when hot feels cold and cold feels hot.

Officials from Whole Foods said they removed black grouper from the fish department upon learning the contaminated fish may have been sold there. That fish was tested and came back negative, the company said.

"We have not been able to determine that the fish in question came from our store," the company said in a statement.

Health department officials confirmed doctors' diagnoses of ciguatera through a sample of fish sent to the department's state lab. Once the source is determined, the FDA will decide if fishing should be restricted there, O'Connor said.

"It's not in every fish you catch," he said. "It's a difficult one to spot without extensive lab testing."

Patty Pensa can be reached at ppensa@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6609.

[Broadbill-Pro]

A Black Grouper from Cal Sal Bank put me in the Hospital, I had lasting effects from ciguatera for several years.

[mneptune]

Luckily, I never had been affected by this poisining. From what I have read about it, it leaves you hurting for a long, long time.

[freezorburn]

[Disco Lady]

Ñooooooooooo!!!!

[fishensticker]

If it's proven that the "establishment" served you some fish other than what you ordered, they're strictly liable for any injury it causes. Sometimes difficult to prove unless several others had the same symptoms

[CaptainEd]

When I lived in Hawaii this was a common thing. People who had it swore it was the worst ailment they ever experienced. It lasts for years, has wretched side effects and you can never eat fish with a clear mind again. Apparently afer getting this if even a trace amount is in a fish, you're back in the sh*t again. An amount that normally would never even be noticable will really mess you up once poisoned. All the people I met who got it quit eating fish for life... In Hawaii they sell a home test kit for about 20 bucks..well worth it for large grouper/Snapper...

[ballyhu]

Two of my buddies got ciguatera this summer from a grouper they speared at rum cay. It really messed them up. One of the side effects is that the symptoms can be passed on to another person with sexual contact. So, you gotta put a helmet on the soldier after getting it. That's enough to make me never eat another grouper. Period.

[Harry Klauber]

As a really sad side note ciguaterra CAN kill you when you are susceptible and get a high concentration of it. Large Cero macks from the Islands can also carry it.

[billspilingup]

Originally Posted by ballyhu

Two of my buddies got ciguatera this summer from a grouper they speared at rum cay. It really messed them up. One of the side effects is that the symptoms can be passed on to another person with sexual contact. So, you gotta put a helmet on the soldier after getting it. That's enough to make me never eat another grouper. Period.

Phone rings, woman picks up

"Hello?"

"It's me. Listen, we need to talk. Last night was great..."

"It was! I had such a great time too!"

"What I'm trying to say is... you should get tested. I've got ciguatera..."

Click


Sorry, I've got too much time on my hands this morning.

[DonK]

NOOO!


oh...thank god it was only the clap...

[Harry Klauber]

Originally Posted by ballyhu

Two of my buddies got ciguatera this summer from a grouper they speared at rum cay. It really messed them up. One of the side effects is that the symptoms can be passed on to another person with sexual contact. So, you gotta put a helmet on the soldier after getting it. That's enough to make me never eat another grouper. Period.

Bill,
Are you just trying to scare the guys or did a doctor actually tell you that? I spoke to two doctors from Jamaica yesterday, where it is more common, and they said "never heard or saw that before".

[bajakian]

I have suffered from this posioning and its not pleasant. I had not heard that it could be transmitted sexually and was skeptical but I looked it up in the medical literature and it has been reported. I dont think its likely, though its probably best to wait a few weeks after exposure to partake. Speaking from experience, when you are acutely ill sex is pretty far from your mind.

[ballyhu]

No scare tactics here Harry. My buddy who got it this summer told me that his Dr told him to use a condom for awhile and I didn't think he was kidding. I'd never heard of this side effect before, but I think the good Dr B is backing it up.

[PURPLE FEVER]

Your buddy who got it sexually must have been licking the lolly-pop. His partner should have been wearing the helmet.

Or maybe they better be careful about the "grouper" they poke!

[ballyhu]

He didn't get it sexually. He got it from eating a grouper at Rum Cay. When he got home and went to a Dr for treatment his Dr told him to wear a condom so he wouldn't transmit it to a sexual partner. Of course, his wife didn't believe he got whatever he had from a freeking grouper....so that led to a whole nother can of worms.....

[Harry Klauber]

You can always learn something new. I just said I never heard of it and the two Drs. I mentioned it to from Jamaica were skeptical and hadn't heard of it being transmitted sexually. If Richard researched it and said possible, even if not too likely, I believe that and take it as an affirmative. I can only imagine your friend's can of worms as the wife said "a sexually transmitted disease from a fish - sure I believe that one". Poor guy.

[MattyG100%]

wow that does not sonud fun at all...