CDPH Lifts Warning about Certain Shellfish From Del Norte and Marin Counties
Date: June 2, 2017
Number: 17-049
Contact: Corey Egel - (916) 440-7259
SACRAMENTO ā The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) lifted health advisories today related to certain sport-harvested bivalve shellfish in
Del Norte and
Marin counties.
For Del Norte County, the advisory is being lifted for whole scallops and clam species other than razor clams. For Marin County, the advisory is being lifted for whole scallops and all clams. The health advisories were issued due to elevated levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins. Recent tests show that PSP toxins have decreased to safe or undetectable levels. There have been no reported illnesses associated with these PSP events.
PSP toxins affect the central nervous system, producing a tingling around the mouth and fingertips within a few minutes to a few hours after eating toxic shellfish. These symptoms are typically followed by loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. In severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.
Download the audio clip from Eric Trevana, Chief of the Environmental Health Services Section.