Consequences of the increasing prevalence of the poisonous Lagocephalus sceleratus in southern Turkey

Beköz A. B., Beköz S., Yilmaz E., Tuzun S., Beköz U.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE JOURNAL, cilt.30, sa.11, ss.954-955, 2013 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 30 Sayı: 11
  • Basım Tarihi: 2013
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1136/emermed-2011-200407
  • Dergi Adı: EMERGENCY MEDICINE JOURNAL
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.954-955
  • Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background The increasing Indo-Pacific migration has affected the biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea, and the prevalence of the puffer fish (Lagocephalus sceleratus), a well-known poisonous migrant, is increasing. The fish, which contains tetrodotoxin, is lethally poisonous when consumed. As its population increases it becomes more available in the markets of southern Turkey, but local people seem to be unaware of the danger. Probably because of the depressed stocks of the surrounding waters and demand on affordable seafood, local anglers are catching the fish. The situation constitutes an alert for the local emergency medicine organisation and is a public health issue.