Food poisoning due to consumption of the marine gastropod Plicopurpura columellaris in El Salvador.

Finishing a red tide event (November 2005-April 2006), and after ingestion of 40-50 specimens of Plicopurpura columellaris (Muricidae), four Salvadoran girls, ranging from 4 to 11 years, presented intoxication symptoms within one hour. They were taken to hospital after more than two hours of symptoms. One fatality occurred when the elder girl died after six hours of ingestion. Specimen samples were taken from the place where the girls took the gastropods. Mouse bioassay indicated as if the collected specimens contained 7-million mouse units/100 g of saxitoxins.