ciguatera

[ see-gwuh-ter-uh, sig-wuh‑ ]

noun

1. a tropical disease caused by ingesting a poison found in certain marine fishes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ciguatera¹

First recorded in 1860–65; from Latin American Spanish, perhaps from Cuban Spanish cigua, from Taíno “sea slug”

Example Sentences

But concerns remain: Environmentalists and local fishers fear that drilling into the coral reef could attract ciguatera, a microscopic algae that infects fish and makes people sick if eaten, and many sustain themselves by what they catch in the ocean.

From Seattle Times

And his 1958 foundational paper on the causative agent behind ciguatera poisoning, a foodborne illness experienced by tens of thousands of people annually, has been cited hundreds of times by fellow scientists.

From Washington Post

Ciguatera poisoning affects reef fish who have ingested micro-algaes expelled by bleached coral.

From The Guardian

When fish infected with these ciguatera toxins are consumed by humans, it causes an immediate and sometimes severe illness: vomiting, fevers and diarrhoea.

From The Guardian

Around ten Tuvaluans present with ciguatera poisoning every week, accounting for about 10% of the weekly case-load of climate-related illnesses.

From The Guardian