Micronesia Mass Poisoning Case – October 15, 2010
All types of sea turtles have a toxin called Chelonitoxic, especially hawksbill turtles.
The condition caused by consuming turtle meat is referred to as Chelonitoxism.
The contents of Chelonitoxic include:
- Heavy metals (Cadmium and Mercury)
- Biotoxins, such as those found in blue-green algae (lyngbyatoxin A from Lyngbya majuscula), which are also part of the turtle’s diet
- A mixture of organic pesticide compounds (chlordane and polychlorinated biphenyls)
The effects of Chelonitoxism include dizziness, vomiting, brain swelling, restlessness, and coma.
Although the harmful effects of eating hawksbill turtle occur worldwide, people still consume this turtle.
MICRONESIA MASS POISONING
A turtle feast was held on October 15, 2010, at 16:00 in Micronesia.
On October 15, 2010, it was reported that three children suddenly died and 20 adults were hospitalized after consuming hawksbill turtle meat. Several adults reported symptoms like sore throat, and six dogs also died.
- Case 1: A 5-year-old girl began feeling nauseous and vomiting 24 hours after eating turtle meat. She complained of extreme thirst but refused to drink anything. After 36 hours, the child fell unconscious and died shortly thereafter.
- Case 2: A 2-year-old girl, the younger sister of Case 1, woke up with complaints of itching, stomach pain, and irritability. She calmed down after being breastfed by her mother (who had also consumed turtle meat). Shortly after breastfeeding, the child passed away.
- Case 3: A 2-year-old boy did not consume turtle meat but received breast milk from his mother, who ate a large amount of turtle meat. The boy suffered from diarrhea and died two days after the turtle feast.
- Case 4: A 21-year-old man who ate turtle meat at the feast (October 15, 2010, at 16:00) reported dizziness but did not vomit. That night, he vomited 10 times, then went to sleep. The next morning, he felt better and went out to sea. However, he later experienced haematemesis (vomiting blood due to stomach bleeding) and was evacuated to the hospital by boat. On the boat, he was convulsing and did not recognize his family. The ambulance driver reported that the man had an unusual smell, something he had never encountered before. At the hospital, the man was restless and combative, requiring sedation. He was given intravenous fluids and placed in intensive care. The doctors observed brain swelling, and nerve assessments showed total paralysis, with no signs of life in his pupils. His condition remained the same until October 21, 2010, when he began experiencing respiratory distress and required mechanical ventilation. On October 22, 2010, at 04:00, at the family’s request, the hospital removed the breathing apparatus, and he passed away shortly afterward.
- Case 5: A 23-year-old man, the brother of the person in Case 4, began feeling dizzy three hours after the turtle feast but did not vomit. He reported extreme thirst. On the third day, he experienced a headache, fever, weakness, disorientation, and restlessness. He was immediately hospitalized and received an antidote intravenously on October 19, 2010. The hospital later reported that he was extremely agitated and combative, requiring sedation. The man died at 01:00 on October 21, 2010.
- Case 6: A 4-year-old boy vomited on October 16-17, 2010. He seemed fine until he complained of a sore throat on October 21, 2010. On the morning of October 22, 2010, he vomited once, fainted, and then died.
