Bora Bora

Huahine

Maupiti

Moorea

Raiatea

Tahaa

Tahiti

Tetiaroa

Ahe

Amanu

Anaa

Apataki

Aratika

Arutua

Faaite

Fakahina

Fakarava

Fangatau

Hao

Heretue

Hikueru

Hiti

Katiu

Kauehi

Kaukura

Makatea

Makemo

Manihi

Marokau

Mataiva

Napuka

Niau

Nihiru

Nukutavake

Puka puka

Pukarua

Rangiroa

Raraka

Raroia

Reao

Taenga

Takapoto

Takaroa

Takume

Tatakoto

Tematangi

Tepoto

Tikehau

Tuanake

Tureia

Vahitahi

Fatu Hiva

Hiva Oa

Nuku Hiva

Tahuata

Ua Huka

Ua Pou

Raivavae

Rapa

Rimatara

Rurutu

Tubuai

Mangareva

CFP cases officially declared between 2009 and 2014 (click on the map to enlarge)

2014

CFP data in French Polynesia in 2014 (Fr)

2012

2011

Species of fish responsible for Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (Fr)

Globally, Ciguatera Fish Poisoning endemic regions can be superimposed to coral development areas, delimited by intertropical areas, mostly island regions. The Caribbean basin (with an estimated incidence rate between 12-500 cases/ 100,000 inhab.), the Pacific ocean (by far the one with the highest incidence rates, up to 18,000/100,000 inhab.) and the Indian ocean (<10/100,000 inhab.), represent a population of approximately 400 million peoples potentially at risk. If ciguatera preferentially develop in lagoons and reefs areas, it can also be encountered in deep coastal waters, even if there are no coral reefs.

How many people are affected by Ciguatera annually?

Between 25,000 and 50,000 persons worldwide are affected annually; however, these figures are likely to  represent only 20% of actual CFP cases. In fact, despite being considered as the most widespread foodborne illness, CFP statistics suffer from a real lack of completeness, partly due to a lack of information and diagnosis issues (often erroneous or delayed). Furthermore, because there is no efficient and specific treatment, many ciguatera poisoned person prefer to treat themselves without consulting a physician. Thus these unreported cases are not taken into account. This loss of data contributes to the strong underestimation of the actual number of CFP cases.

Imported cases of CFP

Tourism and international trade development as well as the increased interest for “exotic foods”, make temperate regions’ seafood consumers, potential new CFP targets. Hence, the numerous so-called “imported” cases that are reported each year in the US, Canada, France, Germany, etc. It could be a tourist who is poisoned during his trip, but whose symptoms appear only when he is back in his country. It could also be a CFP case due to the consumption of a fish imported from an endemic region of ciguatera.

New propagation areas of CFP

Until recently, ciguatera was considered specific of warm waters, island and coral archipelagos. However in the recent years there is a progressive spread of ciguatera to more temperate region, including Europe, Korea, Hong Kong…, which until now were unaffected. Thus, endogenous cases of ciguatera poisoning (i.e. related to consumption of locally caught fish), were reported in Madeira and the Canary Islands since the early 2000s.

Climate changes (global warming) may be the reason underlying this emergence of new areas at risk of ciguatera by promoting, at a global scale, the proliferation of toxins-producer microorganisms and/or the migration of subtropical and tropical toxic fish to more temperate regions.