Factors associated with ciguatera poisoning (CP) in the Canary Islands (Spain)

Abstract

Ciguatera (CP) is a food poisoning that affects humans around the world after the consumption of different fish contaminated by the toxin, generating a clinical picture characterized by different gastrointestinal, neurological and cardiovascular symptoms. Dinoflagellates of the genus Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa are responsible for the production of ciguatoxin, and numerous fish species may be involved as hosts of the toxin. Despite being endemic in certain tropical and subtropical regions, the globalization of trade and the effect of climate change have caused an increase in the number of cases of poisoning in other locations other than the usual ones, such as Europe. The Canary Islands is one of the non-endemic regions where a greater impact of ciguatera has been observed, with an increase in the number of cases reported since 2004, the first officially registered, until the last to date, in 2023. Several factors may be involved in its occurrence, which led the Canary Islands authorities to recognize the potential risk of this emerging disease and to establish an Official control protocol and the characterization of the intoxication. In this study, the analysis of all factors associated with CP outbreaks recorded in the Canary Islands is carried out to understand how the disease presents and how control methods can be improved. Thanks to the efforts made by the different organizations, the result is that despite the increase in the global incidence of ciguatera in the Canary Islands, there is no progressive increase in the number of cases, thus obtaining favorable results from all the prevention and control measures. However, considering the low rate of reporting and diagnosis of CP, the true incidence of poisoning cannot be known and is probably higher than estimated.