A tragic incident occurred in Brazil, where a man lost his life after consuming poisonous pufferfish after reportedly recieving it as a gift.
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According to a report in the New York Post, Magno Sergio Gomes, a 46-year-old man, received the fish as a gift from an unidentified friend. The origin of the fish remains unknown. The unfortunate incident took place in Aracruz, Espirito Santo, over the weekend, as confirmed by Magno’s sister, Myrian Gomes Lopes. She mentioned that Magno had no prior experience in cleaning pufferfish. Both Magno and his friend were unfamiliar with handling the fish. However, they proceeded to cut it, remove the liver, boil it, and consume it with lemon juice. Within an hour, both individuals started experiencing symptoms which included numbness in their mouths.
Realizing the severity of the situation, the 46-year-old drove himself to the hospital, only to discover that the numbness had spread, leading to cardiac arrest for approximately eight minutes. The specific toxin responsible for Magno’s condition, as stated by the US Center for Disease Control, is tetrodotoxin. This potent toxin is found in the liver and gonads of pufferfish and various other marine creatures. The blowfish employs this toxin as a defense mechanism against predators. Tetrodotoxin is nearly 1,000 times more lethal than cyanide and lacks a known antidote. When consumed in large quantities, it hampers the transmission of signals from nerves to muscles, resulting in muscle paralysis and potential fatality.
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Ms Lopes revealed that her brother was placed on life support. Unfortunately, after spending 35 days in the hospital, during which the toxin paralyzed his system, Magno passed away on January 27. “The doctors informed our family that he died from poisoning, which rapidly affected his brain. Three days after admission, he experienced multiple seizures, severely impacting his brain function and leaving little hope for recovery,” she expressed.
While Magno’s friend survived this horrific incident, he is currently experiencing difficulties with his legs. “His walking ability has been affected neurologically, but he is gradually recovering,” Ms Lopes added.