Polymyositis after ciguatera toxin exposure
E. W. Stommel, J. Parsonnet and L. R. Jenkyn
Section of Neurology, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH 03756.
Biopsy-proved polymyositis subsequently developed in two patients who were
severely poisoned by ciguatera fish toxin. Ciguatera toxin may have several
mechanisms of action and may represent more than one toxin. The patients'
clinical courses and the unlikelihood of coincidence of contracting both
diseases suggested to us a causal relationship. Although we cannot prove
this relationship, we suggest a mechanism by which the toxin predisposed
the muscle to inflammation.
