Intoxication paralysante par les fruits de mer

Paralytic shellfish poisoning is a foodborne marine-toxin syndrome that arises after consuming shellfish contaminated with saxitoxins generated by dinoflagellates ^[1]. The responsible paralytic shellfish toxins block voltage-gated sodium channels and are produced by marine dinoflagellates as well as freshwater cyanobacteria ^[1][2].

Affected individuals may develop gastrointestinal, neurologic, cardiovascular, or respiratory effects of varying severity ^[1]. Symptom onset is generally 30–60 minutes after ingestion of toxic shellfish but may be delayed several hours ^[1]. Severe presentations can include ataxia, paralysis, respiratory failure, or death ^[1].

The syndrome occurs globally, with notable reporting from temperate waters off Atlantic and Pacific North America including Alaska, and additional cases across the Americas, Asia, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand ^[1]. Global distribution maps indicate affected coastal regions concentrated along North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Pacific Islands ^[1]. Contributing pressures such as harmful algal bloom spread, international trade, tourism, and rising seafood consumption are increasing the public-health risk ^[1].

1. 1 US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Food Poisoning from Marine Toxins | CDC Yellow Book™ [Internet]. cited 23 Oct 2026. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/environmental-hazards-risks/food-poisoning-from-marine-toxins.html
2. 2 Raposo MIC et al. Paralytic Shellfish Toxins (PST)-Transforming Enzymes: A Review. Toxins (Basel). 2020 May 22. PMID: 32456077. doi: 10.3390/toxins12050344. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32456077/