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. 2023 Nov-Dec;138(6):865-869.
doi: 10.1177/00333549221146654. Epub 2023 Jan 23.

Harmful Algal Bloom Exposures Self-reported to Poison Centers in the United States, May-October 2019

Amy M Lavery  1 , Stephanie M Kieszak  1 , Royal Law  1 , Alvin C Bronstein  2 , Alexandra R Funk  3 , Shireen Banerji  4 , Kaitlyn Brown  5 , Dawn R Sollee  6 , Lorraine C Backer  1
Affiliations

Harmful Algal Bloom Exposures Self-reported to Poison Centers in the United States, May-October 2019

Amy M Lavery et al. Public Health Rep. 2023 Nov-Dec.

Erratum in

Abstract

The National Poison Data System (NPDS) comprises self-reported information from people who call US poison center hotlines. NPDS data have proven to be important in identifying emerging public health threats. We used NPDS to examine records of people who had self-reported exposure to harmful algal blooms (HABs). Participating poison centers then contacted people who had called their centers from May through October 2019 about their HAB exposure to ask about exposure route, symptoms, health care follow-up, and awareness of possible risks of exposure. Of 55 callers who agreed to participate, 47 (85%) reported exposure to HABs while swimming or bathing in HAB-contaminated water. Nine callers reported health symptoms from being near waters contaminated with HABs, suggesting potential exposure via aerosolized toxins. Symptoms varied by the reported routes of exposure; the most commonly reported symptoms were gastrointestinal and respiratory. More public and health care provider education and outreach are needed to improve the understanding of HAB-related risks, to address ways to prevent HAB-related illnesses, and to describe appropriate support when exposures occur.

Keywords: harmful algal blooms; health outcomes; poison control; self-reported health data.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

References

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