Marine Toxins from Harmful Algae and Seafood Safety


Book Description

The rapid expansion of aquaculture around the world is increasingly being impacted by toxins produced by harmful marine microalgae, which threaten the safety of seafood. In addition, ocean climate change is leading to changing patterns in the distribution of toxic dinoflagellates and diatoms which produce these toxins. New approaches are being developed to monitor for harmful species and the toxins they produce. This Special Issue covers pioneering research on harmful marine microalgae and their toxins, including the identification of species and toxins; the development of new chemical and biological techniques to identify and monitor species and toxins; the uptake of marine biotoxins in seafood and marine ecosystems; and the distribution and abundance of toxins, particularly in relation to climate change.




Marine Biotoxins


Book Description

This paper provides an extensive review of different aspects of five shellfish-poisoning syndromes (paralytic, diarrhoeic, amnesic, neurologic and azapiracid), as well as one fish-poisoning syndrome (ciguatera fish poisoning), and discusses in detail the causative toxins produced by marine organisms, chemical structures and analytical methods of the toxins, habitat and occurrence of the toxin-producing organisms, case studies and existing regulations. Based on this analysis, risk assessments are carried out for each of the toxins, and recommendations are elaborated to improve the management of these risks in order to reduce the harmful effect of these toxins on public health.




Emerging Marine Biotoxins


Book Description

The emergence of marine and freshwater toxins in geographical areas where they have never been reported before is a concern due to the considerable impact on (sea)food contamination, and consequently, on public health. Several groups of marine biotoxins, in particular tetrodotoxins, ciguatoxins, and palytoxins, are included among the relevant marine biotoxins that have recently emerged in several coastal areas. A similar situation has been observed in freshwater, where cyanobacterial toxins, such as microcystins, could end up in unexpected areas such as the estuaries where shellfish are cultivated. Climate change and the increased availability of nutrients have been considered as the key factors in the expansion of all of these toxins into new areas; however, this could also be due to more intense biological invasions, more sensitive analytical methods, or perhaps even an increased scientific interest in these natural contaminations. The incidences of human intoxications due to the consumption of seafood contaminated with these toxins have made their study an important task to accomplish in order to protect human health. This Special Issue has a focus on a wide variety of emerging biotoxin classes and techniques to identify and quantify them.




Climate Change and Marine and Freshwater Toxins


Book Description

The increasingly widespread production of toxins by marine and freshwater microalgae raises serious concerns regarding seafood and drinking water safety. This book compiles studies on the influence of climate change on the spreading of toxin-producing species in aquatic systems. The chemistry and biology of toxin production is revised and an outlook on control and prevention of the toxins' impact on human and animal health is given.




Marine Biotoxins and Seafood Poisoning


Book Description

Marine biotoxins may pose a threat to the human consumption of seafood and seafood products. The increasing global trade and higher demand for seafood products worldwide represents a challenge for food safety authorities, policy makers, food business operators, and the scientific community, in particular, researchers devoted to environmental sciences, toxicology, and analytical chemistry. In addition, due to changes in climate conditions and technological developments, new and emerging marine toxins are being detected in regions where they were previously unknown. This Special Issue highlight studies aiming to the develop detection methods for marine biotoxins for better understanding the dynamics of accumulation/elimination of marine biotoxins and their effects on marine organisms, as well as toxin exposure studies that aim to evaluate the risks associated with the consumption of contaminated seafood.




Harmful Algal Blooms


Book Description

Harmful Algal Blooms: A Compendium Desk Reference erläutert die Grundlagen der schädlichen Algenblüte (HAB) und bietet die notwendigen technischen Informationen, wenn es um unerwartete oder unbekannte schädliche Ereignisse in Zusammenhang mit Algen geht. Dieses Fachbuch behandelt die Gründe für die schädliche Algenblüte, erfolgreiche Management- und Monitoring-Programme, Kontroll-, Präventions- und Minderungsstrategien, die wirtschaftlichen Folgen, Gesundheitsrisiken sowie die Folgen für die Nahrungskette und Ökosysteme. Darüber hinaus bietet es ausführliche Informationen zu den häufigsten HAB-Arten. Harmful Algal Blooms: A Compendium Desk Reference ist ein unschätzbares Referenzwerk für Manager, Einsteiger in das Fachgebiet, Praktiker mit eingeschränkten Zugang zu wissenschaftlicher Literatur und alle, die schnell Zugriff auf Informationen benötigen, insbesondere vor dem Hintergrund neuartiger oder unerwarteter HAB-Ereignisse. Die drei Herausgeber gehören zu den weltweit führenden Forschern auf dem Fachgebiet. Führende Experten haben ebenfalls zu diesem Fachbuch beigetragen, das sich zu einem wichtigen Referenzwerk des Fachgebiets entwickeln wird, zumal das Thema immer mehr an Bedeutung gewinnt.




CDC Yellow Book 2018: Health Information for International Travel


Book Description

THE ESSENTIAL WORK IN TRAVEL MEDICINE -- NOW COMPLETELY UPDATED FOR 2018 As unprecedented numbers of travelers cross international borders each day, the need for up-to-date, practical information about the health challenges posed by travel has never been greater. For both international travelers and the health professionals who care for them, the CDC Yellow Book 2018: Health Information for International Travel is the definitive guide to staying safe and healthy anywhere in the world. The fully revised and updated 2018 edition codifies the U.S. government's most current health guidelines and information for international travelers, including pretravel vaccine recommendations, destination-specific health advice, and easy-to-reference maps, tables, and charts. The 2018 Yellow Book also addresses the needs of specific types of travelers, with dedicated sections on: · Precautions for pregnant travelers, immunocompromised travelers, and travelers with disabilities · Special considerations for newly arrived adoptees, immigrants, and refugees · Practical tips for last-minute or resource-limited travelers · Advice for air crews, humanitarian workers, missionaries, and others who provide care and support overseas Authored by a team of the world's most esteemed travel medicine experts, the Yellow Book is an essential resource for travelers -- and the clinicians overseeing their care -- at home and abroad.




Guidelines on recreational water quality. Volume 1


Book Description

Use of coastal, estuarine and freshwater recreational environments has significant benefits for health and well-being, including rest, relaxation, exercise, cultural and religious practices, and aesthetic pleasure, while also providing substantial local, regional and national economic benefits. These guidelines focus on water quality management for coastal and freshwater environments to protect public health. The guidelines: 1. describe the current state of knowledge about the possible adverse health impacts of various forms of water pollution; and2. set out recommendations for setting national health-based targets, conducting surveillance and risk assessments, putting in place systems to monitor and control risks, and providing timely advice to users on water safety.These guidelines are aimed at national and local authorities, and other entities with an obligation to exercise due diligence relating to the safety of recreational water sites. They may be implemented in conjunction with other measures for water safety (such as drowning prevention and sun exposure) and measures for environmental protection of recreational water use sites.




Seafood and Freshwater Toxins


Book Description

The occurrence of marine and freshwater toxins is a rapidly evolving problem due to ever-changing circumstances. Expanding international commerce is forcing cargo ships into virgin territory, deforestation and pollution violate the natural ecological balance, and a changing climate holds unknown potential to alter current factors and trigger toxic blooms in new forms, at new rates, and in new places. Fortunately, with notable advances in analysis technology, the body of knowledge in the field is equally dynamic. In just six years since the first edition, toxins that warranted only line listings, including pfiestra, gambierol, and polycavernoside, are now worthy of entire chapters, requiring a new edition to encompass the expanding scope of the field. Emphasizes Human Response to New Toxins Gathering contributions from international experts, Seafood and Freshwater Toxins: Pharmacology, Physiology, and Detection, Second Edition provides an overview of the current state-of-knowledge from several perspectives. Incorporating toxicology, chemistry, ecology, and economics, the book covers the biological aspects of the bloom and the effects and actions of each toxin with emphasis on human response. This edition includes more information on detection and analysis, toxicological information on previously little known toxins, and food safety issues. Incorporating Pharmacological, Legal, and Economic Aspects, this book— Begins with general information on risk assessment and analytical techniques Cover several categories of toxins by function and biomechanism Considers potential pharmacological applications and the use of toxins as precursors to therapeutic drugs Highlights the legal and economic perspectives of toxic incidence in industrial activity and international regulation and monitoring programs Describes new toxins by their individual chemical structure, ecobiology, metabolism, detection methods, determination, pharmacology, and toxicology




Marine Biotoxins


Book Description

This paper provides an extensive review of different aspects of five shellfish-poisoning syndromes (paralytic, diarrhoeic, amnesic, neurologic and azapiracid), as well as one fish-poisoning syndrome (ciguatera fish poisoning). It discusses in detail the causative toxins produced by marine organisms, chemical structures and analytical methods, habitat and occurrence of the toxin-producing organisms, case studies and existing regulations. Based on this analysis, risk assessments are carried out for each of the toxins, and recommendations are elaborated to improve the management of these risks in order to reduce the harmful effects of these toxins on public health. Contents Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP); Chemical structures and properties, Methods of analysis, Source organism(s) and habitat, Occurrence and accumulation in seafood, Toxicity of PSP toxins, Prevention of PSP intoxication, Cases and outbreaks of PSP, Regulations and monitoring; Chapter 3: Diarrhoeic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP); Chemical structures and properties, Methods of analysis, Source organism(s) and habitat, Occurrence and accumulation in seafood, Toxicity of DSP toxins, Prevention of DSP intoxication, Cases and outbreaks of DSP, Regulations and monitoring; Chapter 4: Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP); Chemical structures and properties, Methods of analysis, Source organism(s) and habitat, Occurrence and accumulation in seafood, Toxicity of ASP toxins, Prevention of ASP toxins, Prevention of ASP intoxication, Cases and outbreaks of ASP, Regulations and monitoring; Chapter 5: Neurologic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP); Chemical structures and properties, Methods of analysis, Source organism(s) and habitat, Occurrence and accumulation in seafood, Toxicity of NSP toxins, Prevention of NSP intoxication, Cases and outbreaks of NSP, Regulations and monitoring; Chapter 6: Azaspiracid Shellfish Poisoning (AZP); Chemical structures and properties, Methods of analysis, Source organism(s) and habitat, Occurrence and accumulation in seafood, Toxicity of AZP toxins, Prevention of AZP intoxication, Cases and outbreaks of AZP, Regulations and monitoring; Chapter 7: Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP); Chemical structures and properties of ciguatoxins, Methods of analysis, Source organism(s), habitat and distribution, Occurrence and accumulation in seafood, Toxicity of CFP toxins, Prevention of CFP intoxication, Cases and outbreaks of CFP, Regulations and monitoring; Chapter 8: Risk Assessment; Risk assessment for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PS), Risk assessment for diarrhoeic shellfish poisoning (DSP), Risk assessment for Amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), Risk assessment for neurologic shellfish poisoning (NSP), Risk assessment for azaspiracid shellfish poisoning (AZP), Risk assessment for ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP); Chapter 9: Conclusions and Recommendations; Conclusions, Recommendations.