Fish poisoning is a special form of food poisoning. It can occur after the consumption of fish, mussels or crabs. Most often it is caused by improper storage of the fish, which leads to a bacterial infestation of the animal.
Usually, shortly after the meal, massive abdominal pain and diarrhea as well as nausea and vomiting occur. Treatment for fish poisoning is usually symptomatic: the fluid lost through diarrhoea and the salts should be replaced. This can be done by sufficient fluid intake through drinking or an infusion.
Most forms of fish poisoning are harmless. They are over after a few days without treatment or with symptomatic treatment. If fish poisoning is caused by toxins (poisonous substances), it is not uncommon for the treatment to have to be carried out in hospital.
The prognosis then usually depends on how early the treatment is started. A distinction must be made between whether the fish poisoning was caused by an infestation with bacteria or viruses that are harmful to humans or whether toxins are responsible for the fish poisoning. Most often, fish poisoning is caused by incorrect or too long storage.
In this case, it is usually the infestation of the fish by bacteria that causes the symptoms. Viruses can also infect fish. Furthermore, especially the consumption of incorrectly prepared exotic fish can lead to serious complaints: The Japanese pufferfish, for example, carries a toxin in itself.
Particularly in Japan, the pufferfish meat, served raw in thin slices, is considered a delicacy. The special thing about the fish, however, is not its taste: When eating it, a tingling and burning sensation is noticed on the tongue and mouth, which increasingly turns into a numbness. This already represents a slight form of controlled poisoning.
The toxin is found in the entire body of the animal, with the highest concentration in the organs and skin. Therefore, the cook usually first removes the skin and organs completely and only afterwards removes the meat suitable for consumption. This meat also contains the toxin, but its concentration is reduced by a special preparation.
Ciguatera poisoning is also feared, which is mainly found in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. Also here the fish contains toxins, which are still harmful even after heating. Originally the poison is found in flagellates, which live on corals and algae. These serve fish as food, so that the fish ingest the poison. If fish are stored incorrectly, botulinum toxins can be formed, which can also cause fish poisoning.
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