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Heed shellfish warnings, DFO says WebPosted Aug 3 2004 03:04 PM ADT
nb.cbc.caFREDERICTON - Two men from Saint John are in hospital after eating tainted mussels and clams from Beaver Harbour.
Hospital officials diagnosed them with paralytic shellfish poisoning. Dr. Scott Giffin says a man in his 40s is in a coma and remains in critical condition.
"This is a neurotoxin. It shuts down nerve cells, brain, spinal cord, peripherally. So, therefore, whatever in your body depends on that to function, doesn't. So, presenting symptoms in this case were loss of consciousness which represents coma and interruption of nervous transmission to heart and lungs."
The man ate a large amount of mussels that were harvested in Dipper Harbour.
The Bay of Fundy shoreline has been closed to the harvesting of mollusks such as mussels and clams since June.
Giffin is the medical health officer for the Saint John region and says the areas that are closed are clearly marked by signs.
Giffin says it's unusual to see a case of shellfish poisoning that is this severe. He says most people recover within a few days.
The other harvester who consumed clams was not admitted to intensive care and is recovering well.