Some people have experienced a sense of floating or nausea. If a person consumes enough poison, muscles of the chest and abdomen become paralyzed. Death can result in as little as two hours, as muscles used for breathing become paralyzed. Paralytic shellfish poison is rarely associated with a red tinge to the water. Reddish coloration of the water is more commonly associated with other, non-toxic organisms.
Blooms occur in clean waters as well as in polluted waters.
Also, the toxin can remain in shellfish long after the algae bloom is over. Toxin can be present with no visible signs. Do not expect beaches closed due to PSP contamination to be marked with a sign. The poison is not destroyed by cooking or freezing. If symptoms are mild, call your health care provider and your local public health agency.