Investigating Health Impacts of Exposure to Harmful Algal Blooms

Exposure to environmental toxins present in local waters, such as brevetoxins released by Karenia brevis (K. brevis) or microcystin produced by cyanobacteria, is known to cause skin and eye irritation, gastrointestinal and respiratory distress. The ingestion of high levels of brevetoxins from eating contaminated shellfish can result in Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP), an acute gastroenteritis with accompanying neurologic symptoms. People are often exposed by direct skin contact with contaminated waters, drinking contaminated water, breathing in airborne droplets of the toxins, or eating contaminated shellfish. This condition usually resolves itself within 3 days as the brevetoxins are excreted from the body. Aerosolized brevetoxins are also known to cause a reversible upper respiratory syndrome, characterized by coughing, sneezing, and feelings of irritation to the airways. Once the exposure to the brevetoxin-laden air has ceased, symptoms usually go away within 15 minutes.

The main objective of this study is to determine if exposure to marine or similar environmental toxins can adversely affect CNS health, immune system, respiratory system and other biological processes which contribute to long-term cognitive dysfunction or illnesses in individuals exposed to these toxins.

Sponsor will be examining whether general health signs and symptoms that are reported are as associated with the exposure to harmful algal bloom toxins. Known symptoms of exposure to harmful algae bloom/red tide /shellfish include the following: Skin and eye irritation, gastrointestinal and respiratory distress, acute gastroenteritis with accompanying neurologic symptoms, respiratory distress, such as reversible upper respiratory syndrome with symptoms of coughing, sneezing, and feelings of irritation to the airways.