TETRODOTOXIN TOXICITY

Course overview

TETRODOTOXIN IS A NEUROTOXIN MOST COMMONLY FOUND IN MARINE ANIMALS. IT IS FAMOUS FOR CAUSING PERIORAL NUMBNESS IN CONSUMERS OF PUFFERFISH. BECAUSE THE TOXIN IS HEAT-STABLE, COOKING DOES NOT DESTROY IT. THE TOXIN WORKS BY BLOCKING SODIUM CHANNELS, IN TURN CAUSING GASTROINTESTINAL, NEUROLOGIC, AND CARDIAC SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH TETRODOTOXIN TOXICITY. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO KNOWN ANTIDOTE. THIS ACTIVITY WILL REVIEW THE COMMON PRESENTATIONS OF TETRODOTOXIN TOXICITY AND OUTLINE TREATMENT APPROACHES. THIS ACTIVITY WILL EXAMINE THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN RECOGNIZING AND TREATING TETRODOTOXIN TOXICITY.