Prognosis

With appropriate supportive care, the outcome is good with no identified long-term sequelae. Some patients describe weakness or fatigue for several days after paralytic shellfish poisoning.

Without adequate supportive care, severe cases of saxitoxin and tetrodotoxin poisoning can have mortality as high as 50%.[15][16][25] Complications and death rates may be higher in children than adults.[2]​ Weakness can persist for weeks.[25]

Less than 40 known human deaths can be attributed to conotoxin envenomation; therefore, little is known about the mechanism of death and the prognosis after envenomation.[43] Although some envenomations can result in only sting-like symptoms, some estimates suggest that mortality can reach 70% without appropriate medical care.[25]

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer