[Study of three ciguatera fish poisoning cases in Xiamen city, in 2005].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To find out the reason of three ciguatera fish poisoning cases in Xiamen in 2005 and identify the fish species. METHODS: The grouper implicated in food poisoning and seven other coral reef fishes collected from market were tested by mice bioassay and ciguatoxin-test kit. The mtDNA was extracted from toxic grouper meat, and Cty b gene segment was amplified and the PCR products were sequenced. The sequences were compared with those in the GenBank. RESULTS: The result turned out to be positive by the ciguatoxin-test kit, while the toxicity of the toxic grouper implicated in food poisoning was 0.11 mouse unit (MU)/g by mice bioassay. A 475 bp segments of Cty b gene was amplified by PCR and the sequence was 99% homologous with Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (GenBank AY950695).No ciguatoxin in six grouper species collected from market was detected. CONCLUSION: All three food poisoning cases were caused by consumption of ciguatoxin-carrying groupers.