injuries and poisoning
Fish and Shellfish Poisoning
Tetrodotoxin poisoning
Tetrodotoxin poisoning is most common in Japan, due to eating the puffer fish (fugu), which naturally contains this toxin in certain organs. However, more than 100 other freshwater and saltwater species also contain tetrodotoxin. Early symptoms include numbness in the face and limbs followed by increased salivation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. If a large amount of the toxin is eaten, muscles can become paralyzed and death may result from paralysis of the muscles that regulate breathing. The toxin cannot be destroyed by cooking or freezing. There is no specific treatment for tetrodotoxin poisoning but people whose breathing is paralyzed may need to be put on a breathing machine ( Mechanical Ventilation ). 