Ciguatera in Reunion Island (SW Indian Ocean): Epidemiology and clinical patterns

One hundred and fifty-nine ichtyosarcotoxic outbreaks, including 477 people, were recorded in the island of Reunion (SW Indian ocean) between 1986 and 1994. Ciguatera outbreaks represented 78.6% of the total cases and its annual incidence rate was estimated to be 0.78/10,000 residents. Symptoms caused by ciguatera poisoning are not different from those reported in Pacific and Caribbean islands, except for the additional symptoms of hallucinatory poisoning in 16% of the patients. Serranidae fish, including species of great commercial value, were the most commonly incriminated, accounting for 50% of the outbreaks. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd