[Mass food poisoning after eating sea turtle in the Antalaha district]

Abstract

In December 1994, a mass food poisoning through ingestion of turtle affected about 60 persons, on the north-eastern coast of Madagascar. The prevailing clinical signs were digestive (nausea, vomiting, dysphagia, acute stomatitis) and might persist during several weeks. The poisoning attack rate was 48% with a lethality of 7.7%. Such accident, even if rare in Madagascar, requires a structured organization to control sea products poisoning and to set up adequate prevention measures.