Paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins in green mussels (Perna viridis) from the Gulf of Paria, Trinidad.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins were determined in green mussels (Perna viridis) collected from one collection site in the Gulf of Paria in Trinidad in 1999 and 2000. Aqueous extracts of PSP were purified by passage through C-18 SPE cartridges, oxidized with peroxide and periodate, respectively, then analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. This procedure provided rapid and highly sensitive screening of samples for PSP toxins. Further purification of PSP-containing extracts using COOH SPE cartridges resulted in the separation and identification of individual PSP toxins. The method of analysis was validated by spike and recovery experiments, with 85-103% recoveries of mixed toxins. PSP toxins determined in our samples in both years were GTX2,3, dcGTX2,3, STX, and dcSTX, while GTX1,4 and NeoSTX were only identified in 1999 and 2000, respectively. In 1999, GTX1,4, GTX2,3 and dcGTX2,3 predominated, as compared to NeoSTX, GTX2,3 and dcGTX2,3 in 2000. However, mussel samples in 2000 contained higher total concentrations of detected PSP toxins than those of 1999. These results represent the first identification of specific PSP toxins in local shellfish and provide a basis for effective monitoring and control of these toxins in Trinidad.

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) in Margarita Island, Venezuela

A severe outbreak of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) occurred in Manzanillo and Guayacán, northwestern coast of Margarita Island, Venezuela, between August and October 1991. A bloom of dinoflagellates including Prorocentrum gracile, Gymnodinium catenatum and Alexandrium tamarense seemed to be responsible for this outbreak. Levels of PSP toxins in mussels (Perna perna) exceeded the international safety limit of saxitoxin, 80 µg STX/100 g meat. PSP toxin values varied between 2 548 and 115 µg STX/100 g meat in Manzanillo, and between 1 422 and 86 µg STX/100 g meat in Guayacán. At both locations, the highest levels were detected in August, when 24 patients exhibited typical symptoms of PSP toxicity after consuming cooked mussels (16 required hospitalization). A high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure was recently used on the 1991 samples. The major toxin detected in samples of both locations was decarbamoyl saxitoxin (dcSTX), but low concentrations of saxitoxin were also found in Manzanillo samples. Gonyautoxins GTX1, GTX2 and GTX3 were detected only at Guayacán, while in both locations, decarbamoylgonyatouxin (dcGTX2,3) toxins were detected. These findings represent the first time that causative toxins of PSP in Venezuela have been chemically identified, and confirm the presence of dcSTX and dcGTX in mussels from the Caribbean Sea. The presence of dcSTX and dcGTX in shellfish is indicative that Gymnodinium catenatum was a causative organism for outbreak of PSP

Un severo brote de intoxicación paralizante por moluscos (PSP en inglés) ocurrió en Manzanillo y Guayacán en la costa noroeste de la Isla de Margarita, Venezuela entre agosto y octubre de 1991. Una proliferación de Prorocentrum gracile, Gymnodinium catenatum y Alexandrium tamarense causó el brote. Los niveles de PSP en mejillón (Perna perna) superaron los niveles máximos permisibles de saxitoxina, 80 µg STX/100g carne. Los niveles de toxinas variaron entre 2 548 y 115 µg STX/100 g carne en Manzanillo y entre 1 422 y 86 µg STX/100g carne en Guayacán. En ambas localidades, los máximos niveles se detectaron en agosto, cuando 24 personas presentaron síntomas típicos de PSP después de consumir mejillones cocidos (16 fueron hospitalizados). Se aplicó recientemente cromatografía líquida de alta presión (HPLC) a muestras del año 1991 y la toxina más detectada fue decarbamoyl saxitoxina (dcSTX), pero también se encontró saxitoxinas en muestras de Manzanillo. Las gonyautoxinas GTX1, GTX2 y GTX3 solo se encontraron en Guayacán; en ambas localidades se detectó decarbamoylgonyatouxin (dcGTX2,3). Estos hallazgos representan la primera vez que las toxinas causantes de un brote de PSP en Venezuela han sido químicamente identificadas, confirmando la presencia de dcSTX y dcGTX en mejillones del mar Caribe. La presencia de dcSTX y dcGTX en moluscos, indica que G. catenatum fue el organismo responsable de la intoxicación

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in Margarita Island, Venezuela.

A severe outbreak of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) occurred in Manzanillo and Guayacán, northwestern coast of Margarita Island, Venezuela, between August and October 1991. A bloom of dinoflagellates including Prorocentrum gracile, Gymnodinium catenatum and Alexandrium tamarense seemed to be responsible for this outbreak. Levels of PSP toxins in mussels (Perna perna) exceeded the international safety limit of saxitoxin, 80 microg STX/100 microg meat. PSP toxin values varied between 2548 and 115 microg STX/100 g meat in Manzanillo, and between 1422 and 86 microg STX/100 g meat in Guayacán. At both locations, the highest levels were detected in August, when 24 patients exhibited typical symptoms of PSP toxicity after consuming cooked mussels (16 required hospitalization). A high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure was recently used on the 1991 samples. The major toxin detected in samples of both locations was decarbamoyl saxitoxin (dcSTX), but low concentrations of saxitoxin were also found in Manzanillo samples. Gonyautoxins GTX1, GTX2 and GTX3 were detected only at Guayacán, while in both locations, decarbamoylgonyatouxin (dcGTX2,3) toxins were detected. These findings represent the first time that causative toxins of PSP in Venezuela have been chemically identified, and confirm the presence of dcSTX and dcGTX in mussels from the Caribbean Sea. The presence of dcSTX and dcGTX in shellfish is indicative that Gymnodinium catenatum was a causative organism for outbreak of PSP.

Dinoflagelados (pyrrhophyta) del archipiélago los Roques (Venezuela): familias prorocentraceae y ostreopsidaceae / Dinoflagellates (pyrrhophyta) from the los Roques archipielago (Venezuela): families prorocentraceae and ostreopsidaceae

Se examinaron muestras provenientes del Parque Nacional Archipiélago Los Roques, en el Mar Caribe Sur-Oriental (Venezuela), mediante microscopía óptica. Se describen quince (15) especies de dinoflagelados (Pyrrhophyta) pertenecientes a las familias Procentraceae y Ostreopsidaceae. Los símbolos (*) y (**) señalan nuevos registros para Venezuela y el Mar Caribe respectivamente. Se encontraron diez especies para Prorocetraceae: Mesoporos perforatus (Gran) Lillick, Prorocentrum compressum (Bailey) Abé ex Dodge, *Prorocentrum concavum Fukuyo, *Prorocentrum emarginatum Fukuyo, *Prorocentrum gracile Schütt, Prorocentrum lima (Ehrenberg) Dodge, Prorocentrum micans Ehrenberg, *Prorocentrum rhathymun loeblich III, Sherley & Schmidt, *Prorocentrum scutellum Schröder y Prorocentrum triestinum Schiller. En Ostreopsidaceae se encontraron cinco especies: Coolia monotis Meunier, *Gambierdiscus toxicus Adachi&Fukuyo, ** Ostreopsis lenticularis Schmidt, *Ostreopsis ovata Fukuyo y **Ostreopsis siamensis Schmidt. Finalmente se presenta una clave para las especies Prorocentrum y Ostreopsis encontradas en este estudio.