Ciguatoxin is produced by microscopic organisms that grow on the surface of marine algae commonly found in reef areas of the ocean. The poison gets into reef fish when they feed on the algae. The poison can then accumulate in larger fish when they in turn eat the reef fish. You get ciguatera fish poisoning by eating fish contaminated with ciguatoxin. The symptoms usually begin 2 to 5 hours after eating fish containing ciguatoxin.
Individuals can become more sensitive to the effects of ciguatoxin if they are exposed repeatedly.
This means the symptoms can appear sooner and be more severe with repeated exposures. The symptoms may last for a week or so in mild cases, but may persist for several months or longer in some people. The treatment is mainly supportive care. Certain medications have been reported to be helpful when started in the early phases of the illness. It is also recommended that a person suffering from ciguatera fish poisoning avoid eating fish, fish sauces, shellfish, alcohol, and nuts for several months after the incident.