Post-mortem analysis of samples from a human victim of a fatal poisoning caused by the xanthid crab, Zosimus aeneus

The evolution of voltage-gated sodium channels: were algal toxins involved?

“…STX is also ineffective (Anderson, 1987). TTX and/or STX insensitivity is also found in platyhelminthes (Blair and Anderson, 1993), arthropods (Daigo et al, 1988;Bretz et al, 2002;Llewellyn et al, 2002), molluscs (Twarog et al, 1972) and vertebrates (Geffeney et al, 2002) (Table 1). In almost every case where it has been reported, TTX (or STX) insensitivity is present in animals that either contain Penzotti et al (1998) The effective doses for TTX and STX have been reported in terms of the dissociation constant (K d ) or the concentrations required to produce 50% (IC 50 ) or 100% block (IC 100 ) of Na + currents or Na + -dependent action potentials.…”

Foodborne Infections and Intoxications Associated with International Travel

“…These organisms are consumed by the bivalves and the toxin accumulates (Lehane, 2001). Shellfisheating crabs may also be a source of intoxication (Llewellyn, 2001;Llewellyn et al, 2002). The most important paralytic shellfish toxin is saxitoxin.…”

Marine Biotoxins in History: Misuse and Mayhem

“…The only reported suicide was a case reported during an epidemiological study in Brazil (Silva et al 2010). In an investigation of a saxitoxin-caused fatality in East Timor, authorities were told that a group of crabs renowned to science for bearing both STX and TTX in the flesh were used to commit suicide (Llewellyn et al 2002). No evidence beyond these stories was obtained, but if true, it clearly indicates community knowledge of the lethal potency of these toxins and their potential for self-harm.…”

“…There are few reports detailing the identification of TTX or STX toxins from victims of fatal poisonings, and a variety of methods have been used ranging from bioassays (Tsunenari et al 1980;Llewellyn et al 2002) to sophisticated chemical analyses that can deal with the complexity of human body fluids (Moriya et al 1992;Cho et al 2012). Often, tissue extracts or bodily fluids need to be pretreated by methods that remove many of the chemicals and biochemicals in humans that may interfere with these analytical methods.…”