Scientists Warn Climate Change Will Trigger Rise In Terrifying Illness

The forecast is part of a larger effort to develop and implement strategies for managing the risk of the illness, NOAA said in a release.

“Contaminated fish have no specific taste, color, or smell

More than 400 fish species are known to become contaminated, according to NOAA. In U.S. waters, ciguatera occurs in Hawaii, Guam, southern Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and occasionally in the Gulf of Mexico.

Earlier this year, a study found that ciguatera poisonings in Florida were an estimated 28 times more common that previously thought

An estimated 10,000 to 50,000 people suffer from the illness each year, making it the most commonly reported marine toxin disease in the world2 to 10 percent of all cases

While ciguatera’s symptoms can be treated, the illness itself has no cure. And anecdotal reports indicate that some patients experience recurring neurologic symptoms

“Whatever I touched, if it was hot, it would feel cold. If it was cold, it felt hot,” one patient recalled. ““Whatever I touched, if it was hot, it would feel cold. If it was cold, it felt hot,” one patient recalled. ““Whatever I touched, if it was hot, it would feel cold. If it was cold, it felt hot,” one patient recalled. “I couldn’t walk on the tile floor

If global sea level rise wasn’t enough to convince you it’s time to reduce your carbon footprint, maybe your appetite for fish will. 

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