Fate of diarrhetic shellfish toxins in the bay scallop Argopecten irradians following controlled feeding upon a toxigenic dinoflagellate

Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) is a severe gastrointestinal illness caused by consumption of shellfish contaminated with toxigenic dinoflagellates such as certain Dinophysis and Prorocentrum species. In spite of the identification of DSP as the cause of numerous cases of hum.an intoxication throughout the world and comprehensive monitoring for shellfish toxicity, the fate and kinetics of DSP toxins in shellfish are not well described. Major limitations to the detailed study of DSP toxins dynamics in shellfish have been the inability to mass culture Dinophysis species for feeding studies and the chemical complexity of the toxin components associated with this toxin syndrome. The DSP toxin complex includes okadaic acid (OA) and its dinophysistoxin derivatives (DTX 1-4) plus various diol- and methyl-esters, as well as related pectenotoxins and yessotoxins.Peer reviewed: NoNRC publication: Ye