Acute Liver Damage with Characteristic Apoptotic Hepatocytes by Ingestion of Aplysia kurodai, a Sea Hare.

Abstract

A case of acute liver damage by ingestion ofAplysia kurodai, a sea hare is reported. A 40-yearold man, complaining of vomiting and pyrexia after eating a sea hare, was admitted. Laboratory data showed mild liver damage with sustained elevations of aminotransferases. Microscopic findings in the liver biopsy specimen revealed characteristic apoptotic hepatocytes accompanied by mitotic hepatocytes. It is suggested that bioactive substances in the sea hare might induce such apoptosis of hepatocytes in the liver. (Internal Medicine 37: 927-929, 1998)

Opisthobranchia (Mollusca, Gastropoda) – more than just slimy slugs. Shell reduction and its implications on defence and foraging

“…Both glands exude substances that have been shown to be toxic to cnidarians [1]. Probably these substances also caused severe damage of the liver of a 40-year-old man, who ate Aplysia kurodai Baba, 1937 [60]. By experimental studies it was shown that the repellent substance in the ink gland is a monomethyl ester of phycoerythrobilin and is derived from phycoerythrin from the consumed red algae [61].…”

Acute onset of generalized tremors, mild ataxia, and hyperesthesia in a young dog after presumptive ingestion of a giant sea hare belonging to the genus Aplysia

“…The apparent lack of a physical defense against marine predators appears to be balanced by a host of chemical defenses instead, comprised of an array of toxic compounds that have been isolated from various species of sea hares . Depending on the sea hare species and potentially the geographic location, sea hare toxicity cases in humans appear to be divided into 2 distinct presentations, the first consisting primarily of acute neurological disturbances and the second consisting of liver damage without neurological symptoms . Nausea was the only common symptom that accompanied all 6 human cases …”

“…All the patients recovered within 1 month after conservative treatment. Sakamoto et al reported a case of a man presenting with nausea, vomiting, and abrupt chilling 6 hours after eating 2 pieces of the sea hare Aplysia kurodai . He rapidly developed acute liver damage with characteristic histological findings presenting apoptosis of numerous hepatocytes.…”

“…Even though many different bioactive substances and potential toxins have been isolated from sea hares, [2][3][4][5][6] sea hare toxicosis in mammals is rarely reported. To the author's knowledge, there are only 3 medical case reports of sea hare toxicosis in people [7][8][9] and no case reports in the veterinary literature. The author reports the clinical course and successful treatment of a young dog with acute sea hare intoxication.…”

Characterization of Pro‐apoptotic Effect of Liver Failure Plasma on Primary Human Hepatocytes and Its Modulation by Molecular Adsorbent Recirculation System Therapy

“…An enhanced apoptotic rate (>1-5 cells/ 10 000 hepatocytes) occurs in many forms of disease (10). This is particularly so in acute liver failure (11), due to acute rejection (12), HBV (13), HCV (14), herpes simplex hepatitis (15), Wilson's disease (16), alcoholic hepatitis (17), autoimmune hepatitis (18), and toxic liver injury (19). Apoptotic hepatocytes in acute liver failure in humans have been identified through conventional histology and chromatin fracturing using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) technique (11,20).…”