Tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin found in pufferfish and other marine animals, can cause neurological and gastrointestinal problems, low blood pressure, arrhythmias, and death. There is no antidote, and even with immediate treatment, about half of poisonings are fatal.
Tetrodotoxin, also known as tetrodox, is an extremely strong neurotoxin. It is colloquially known as zombie dust, particularly in voodoo and Haitian cultures. The toxin is several times more potent than cyanide. It can be found in several types of fish, although the most common cases of human poisoning result from consuming the flesh of the pufferfish. Tetrodotoxin affects the nervous system by preventing it from sending electrical impulses throughout the body which, depending on the amount present in the body, can cause anything from gastrointestinal disease to death.
In addition to pufferfish, there are a number of other marine animals that carry tetrodotoxin. They include triggerfish, mola, porcupine fish, and ocean sunfish. This order of fish is called Tetraodontiformes, after which the toxin is named. Tetrodotoxin has also been found in the blue-ringed octopus and the rough-skinned newt. These animals do not produce the toxin, but carry the symbiotic, or mutually beneficial, bacteria that lead to its growth.
Tetrodotoxin damages the normal functioning of the nervous system. It typically manifests itself in neurological and gastrointestinal problems. If the poisoning is severe, it can cause low blood pressure and arrhythmias, which is a lack of electrical impulses to the heart. It is fatal if it interrupts the communication of electrical impulses to the brain.
Some of the symptoms of tetrodotoxin poisoning include nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms and weakness which can lead to paralysis. Difficulty breathing are also common signs of poisoning. There may also be a tingling or numbness known as oral paresthesias that starts in the mouth and can travel to the limbs. Cranial nerve dysfunction, a serious symptom, affects how the brain works.
Despite the risk, many people still get tetrodotoxin poisoning from eating improperly prepared puffer fish, also known as fugu, every year. Even when there is immediate treatment, about half of these poisonings are usually fatal. Natural predators of pufferfish and other marine animals that carry the toxin are usually kept away by the bright colors of these creatures, which act as a natural warning system.
Since there is no antidote for tetrodotoxin, a severe case of poisoning will inevitably lead to death. The toxin can kill in as little as 20 minutes, though a typical range is four to six hours. Some individuals have survived envenomation by being placed on life support and having the remaining toxin removed from their stomachs with a charcoal wash, which absorbs the poison.
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