Category Research project
  • Expositionsschätzung

Epidemiology of Ciguatera poisoning in the European Union

Project status
In Progress
Project start
Sept 2022
Project end
Sept 2025
Acronym
EuroCigua II
Department
Exposition

Description and Objective

Ciguatera is the most common fish poisoning worldwide, occurring in all tropical regions. Ciguatera is caused by so-called ciguatoxins, which are produced by microalgae and accumulated in large fish via the food chain. Preparation, e.g. cooking, cannot render ciguatoxins harmless. In addition to the appearance of gastrointestinal symptoms, the nervous system is affected by ciguatoxins. Cold allodynia is characteristic of Ciguatera, whereby cold stimuli are perceived as pain, and unbearable itching occurs. There is no specific therapy. In Europe, Ciguatera occurs autochthonously on the Canary Islands and Madeira. Therefore, the first EuroCigua project was carried out in 2016-2020, which is now being continued with the EuroCigua II, since, among other reasons, no harmonized methods for the detection of ciguatoxins (CTX) have been established in Europe and there is still a lack of reference materials. In the EuroCigua II project, the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment is actively involved in the working group on the epidemiology of Ciguatera in Europe. The focus on recording Ciguatera cases and outbreaks caused by imported fish is new. Ciguatera cases can be reported to the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, and associated leftovers from fish meals can be sent to the BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.
Type of project

Third-party funded project

Areas of research

Expositionsabschätzung und Bewertung biologischer Risiken

Organisational units and partners

Lead unit: Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (35)
Contact persons: Dr. Miriam Friedemann

Funding body and grant number

Europäische Behörde für Lebensmittelsicherheit
GP/EFSAshort forEuropean Food Safety Authority/KNOW/2022/03-SA2

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