Politics & Government

State Issues Health Alert on Shellfish Toxin

State Department of Health officials warn consumers of possible symptoms after eating contaminated shellfish.

State health officials are issuing a public health warning to consumers of seafood that a type of biotoxin never before detected in local shellfish has been found in the Sequim Bay area, according to a DOH press release.

The discovery, said officials, has led to a commercial and recreational harvest closure in Sequim Bay, and people are urged not to eat shellfish — such as mussels and oysters — from that area until further notice due to the risk of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP).

The state issued a safety recall for commercially sold products from the area dating back to Aug. 1 and they believe all recalled product has been accounted for and is not currently on the market.

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State officials said this is the first time in Washington or the United States that DSP toxin has been found above acceptable food safety limits. The toxin that causes DSP occurs in shellfish that ingest a certain type of algae that collects in its gut and remains undigested. 

Since this is new to the state, the DOH is sampling and testing shellfish areas throughout the state to learn more about the toxin and will share information with the public as it becomes available.

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According to the press release, the same biotoxin has been a problem in several European countries for some time and was recently found in British Columbia waters. The Department of Health Office of Shellfish and Water Protection has suspected the biotoxin may become a concern in Washington waters. The program is working with federal partners and the University of Washington on this emerging issue in order to protect public health. As environmental monitoring was underway, we learned of illnesses matching the description of DSP in a local family. Shellfish samples were tested at the federal Food and Drug Administration lab, which confirmed presence of the toxin.

Unlike bacterial contamination, DSP is a toxin, so it is not killed by cooking. Eating shellfish contaminated with DSP may cause Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning, a foodborne illness. DSP can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and chills, very similar to gastrointestinal or stomach flu type symptoms. If you eat DSP-tainted shellfish, symptoms could begin within a few hours and last one to three days at the most.

The Office of Shellfish and Water Protection (http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/sf/default-sf.htm) provides updated information on shellfish safety, warnings, closures and restrictions for locations throughout the state(ww4.doh.wa.gov/scripts/esrimap.dll?name=bioview&Cmd=Map&Step=1).

The Department of Health website (www.doh.wa.gov) has more information on the public health alert, and more information can be learned in real time on Facebook and Twitter.


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