Consumption of contaminated shellfish and fish can result in illness. High levels of ASP produce permanent loss of short term memory and death, PSP paralysis and death, and NSP convulsions. Severe diarrhoea and vomiting, abdominal pain, vomiting One of the most recently discovered algal toxins is azaspiracid. The first reported outbreak of food poisoning caused by azaspiracid was in the Netherlands in 1995, and outbreaks occurred in Northern Ireland in 1997, and France and Italy in 1998. In all these incidents the causative food was mussels from the west coast of Ireland.
Symptoms are severe diarrhoea and vomiting with abdominal pain and nausea.
The onset is 12 to 24 hours after consumption, and symptoms persist for up to five days. Preliminary studies have shown that azaspiracid can cause necrosis in the intestine, thymus, and liver. The structure of azaspiracid was determined in 1998, and at least eight different forms have subsequently been identified, of differing toxicity. Three separate incidents were reported in a restaurant in Sheffield between 22 July and 5 August. Other outbreaks were reported in Warrington, Aylesbury, and the Isle of Wight.