Ciguatera in the Cook Islands

number of cases is higher than this. reported cases in the Cook Islands; it is expected that true about 300 persons. Below is a graph showing the number of people treated for fish poisoning. In 1996 this figure peaked to In recent years there has been an increase in the number of

N the symptoms

u of ciguatera 100 150 200 250 300 350 m GOVERNMENT OF THE COOK ISLANDS 50 poisoning? b 0

e What are MINISTRY OF MARINE RESOURCES r 1989 Tel.: +682 28721 / 28722 28730

Web site: http://www.mmr.gov.ck o f P.O. Box 85, Avarua, Rarotonga

r e p 1990 o r t E-mail: [email protected] administered in the early stages of poisoning. mannitol, which is more effective when ing generally involves the administration of feels hot. The treatment of ciguatera poison- ture; hot water feels cold, and cold and joints, a reversed sense of tempera- ing in the lips and skin, pain muscles ptoms include numbness, tingling and itch- unlucky enough to be poisoned. Other sym- symptoms you may experience if are rhoea, headaches and fever are some of the Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diar- e d 1991

c a Fax: +682 29721 s e s 1992

Cook Islands o f

c i g 1993 u a t e r 1994 a

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t h 1995 e

C o o 1996 k

I s l a n d s in the Ciguatera C ook 2000 I slands Ciguatera is a type of food poisoning that The ecological causes of ciguatera out- affects humans and other animals after breaks are still being investigated. It is they have eaten fish that contain high lev- thought that they may occur when What is els of a poison called ciguatoxin. This poi- there is a disturbance to the reef. Sea- son is thought to be produced by micro- weeds, and hence the ciguatera dino- scopic tropical marine plants (Gambier- flagellate, are among the first colonisers ciguatera? discus toxicus, as shown on cover, and to the disrupted area. other species), which occur in shallow Types ofthat occurrences can cause coral reef areas. The algae, known as An increase in nutrients in the water is ciguatera dinoflagellates, live on other an outbreak like adding fertiliser to plants and this seaweed in small densities. Incidences of can promote ciguatera algae growth fish poisoning tend to coincide with out- of ciguatera as well. breaks of the ciguatera dinoflagellate. Some factors that can trigger a ciguatera outbreak include: The fish are only poisonous to eat when they themselves have accumulated high levels of the ciguatera toxin. Because her- • Natural large-scale reef destruction such as from a bivorous fish (such as maito) graze on plants, they are typically cyclone; the first to consume the algae and therefore accumulate the • Construction of piers or wharves and blasting of reef toxin. Predatory fish (such as patuki roi and titiara) can accu- passages; mulate higher levels of the toxin by eating many of the her- • Increases in water temperature; bivorous fish containing the poison. The fish seldom show vis- • Sediment runoff from land activities; ible signs that they are toxic. • Increased nutrients in the water (e.g. from treated or untreated sewage, and fertilisers); and • Rubbish dumping and other activities that damage The production and accumulation of the reef. ciguatera toxin are limited to the reef eco- system. Therefore, oceanic fish such as Because fish are mobile, ciguatera poisoning is not confined to tuna (a’ai) or flying fish (maroro) are not the immediate area of an outbreak. Which fish are prone to ciguatera. Some reef fish that are reported to cause fish poisoning include: affected? It is very difficult to test fish tissue for the presence of ciguatoxin and traditional methods and “old wives’ tales” for • Maito (surgeonfish); • Kanae (mullet); detecting poisonous fish are not reliable. • A’a pata (moray eel); • Ono (barracuda); • Patuki roi, tonu, oka • Iroa (emperors); The Ministry of Marine Resources routinely assesses the (groupers and cods); • Vete (goatfish); Rarotonga lagoon for outbreaks of ciguatera algae so that the • Anga mea, tangau, • Paru (jobfish); public can be alerted to the possible danger areas. kiriiva (snappers); • Titiara, urua (trevallies). • Maratea (maori wrasse); Ciguatera outbreaks also occur in the outer Islands. Ciguatera is a type of food poisoning that The ecological causes of ciguatera out- affects humans and other animals after breaks are still being investigated. It is they have eaten fish that contain high lev- thought that they may occur when What is els of a poison called ciguatoxin. This poi- there is a disturbance to the reef. Sea- son is thought to be produced by micro- weeds, and hence the ciguatera dino- scopic tropical marine plants (Gambier- flagellate, are among the first colonisers ciguatera? discus toxicus, as shown on cover, and to the disrupted area. other species), which occur in shallow Types ofthat occurrences can cause coral reef areas. The algae, known as An increase in nutrients in the water is ciguatera dinoflagellates, live on other an outbreak like adding fertiliser to plants and this seaweed in small densities. Incidences of can promote ciguatera algae growth fish poisoning tend to coincide with out- of ciguatera as well. breaks of the ciguatera dinoflagellate. Some factors that can trigger a ciguatera outbreak include: The fish are only poisonous to eat when they themselves have accumulated high levels of the ciguatera toxin. Because her- • Natural large-scale reef destruction such as from a bivorous fish (such as maito) graze on plants, they are typically cyclone; the first to consume the algae and therefore accumulate the • Construction of piers or wharves and blasting of reef toxin. Predatory fish (such as patuki roi and titiara) can accu- passages; mulate higher levels of the toxin by eating many of the her- • Increases in water temperature; bivorous fish containing the poison. The fish seldom show vis- • Sediment runoff from land activities; ible signs that they are toxic. • Increased nutrients in the water (e.g. from treated or untreated sewage, and fertilisers); and • Rubbish dumping and other activities that damage The production and accumulation of the reef. ciguatera toxin are limited to the reef eco- system. Therefore, oceanic fish such as Because fish are mobile, ciguatera poisoning is not confined to tuna (a’ai) or flying fish (maroro) are not the immediate area of an outbreak. Which fish are prone to ciguatera. Some reef fish that are reported to cause fish poisoning include: affected? It is very difficult to test fish tissue for the presence of ciguatoxin and traditional methods and “old wives’ tales” for • Maito (surgeonfish); • Kanae (mullet); detecting poisonous fish are not reliable. • A’a pata (moray eel); • Ono (barracuda); • Patuki roi, tonu, oka • Iroa (emperors); The Ministry of Marine Resources routinely assesses the (groupers and cods); • Vete (goatfish); Rarotonga lagoon for outbreaks of ciguatera algae so that the • Anga mea, tangau, • Paru (jobfish); public can be alerted to the possible danger areas. kiriiva (snappers); • Titiara, urua (trevallies). • Maratea (maori wrasse); Ciguatera outbreaks also occur in the outer Islands. number of cases is higher than this. reported cases in the Cook Islands; it is expected that true about 300 persons. Below is a graph showing the number of people treated for fish poisoning. In 1996 this figure peaked to In recent years there has been an increase in the number of