Six people in North Carolina are probably wishing they didn’t eat the amberjack at a fish dinner; when they were struck with a very nasty case of ciguatera fish poisoning. The side effects of ciguatera poisoning include the usual physical symptoms of nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps or diarrhea; neurological symptoms including fatigue, muscle pain, itching and tingling and a rather unusual symptom which involves a reversal of the sensations of hot and cold (this can apparently go on for months).
Less frequently reported are symptoms which present during sexual activity; for males, painful ejaculation and for females, a burning sensation during sex that can continue for a duration ranging from a few minutes to few hours after intercourse. All of the North Carolina fish dinner attendees experienced these side effects, with the symptoms lasting anywhere from a week to a full month after the ciguatera fish poisoning incident.
Ciguatera is a naturally occurring toxin originating in algae that is especially prevalent in predatory fish like the Amberjack, as it travels up the food chain. Incidence of ciguatera poisoning is increasing due to globally sourced fish and the range of ciguatera toxin seems to be expanding due to the warming of oceans. [Better Life]
