On March 4, the leader of Cai Nuoc District General Hospital (Ca Mau province) confirmed that the hospital had just received 3 cases of poisoned toad fish.
According to initial information, on March 3, Mr. N.U.L (60 years old, living in Cai Doi Vam town, Phu Tan district) was given a toad fish caught at sea by a friend and processed soup.
After that, Mr. L invited Mr. N.H.C (47 years old) and Mr. N.V.T (56 years old, living in the same locality) to drink. After eating, all 3 people fell into a coma, and the family quickly transferred the patients to Cai Nuoc General Hospital for emergency care and treatment.
After examination, the doctor diagnosed the patients with "respiratory failure, toad poisoning" and was instructed to breathe on a ventilator. Currently, Mr. T and Mr. L have to use a ventilator for treatment, while Mr. C is slightly ill and is being monitored.
Previously, on March 1, the Emergency Department, Cai Nuoc General Hospital also admitted patient T.N.L (69 years old, in Cai Doi Vam town, Phu Tan district) who ate poisoned toad fish. After a period of emergency care and intensive treatment, the patient was out of danger and given a ventilator's arrest.
Toad fish has more than 120 different species worldwide, in Vietnam there are about 66 species, of which 40 species are capable of containing toxins. Tofu is considered the second most toxic species after yellow-cheated ticks.
The doc product of toad fish is found in organs, skin, abdominal muscles, capillaries and especially in acne. Toxic toad fish is often not the same, but in general, most toad fish are toxic from mild to strong. The poison inside toad fish is Tetrodotoxin. However, this poison is not naturally produced from toad but is made up of bacteria that coexist on fish.
Toxins in toad are very special, they are not destroyed by boiling temperatures or other food processing methods such as drying. This is a very powerful neurotoxin that can cause paralysis, respiratory failure and even death if not treated promptly.
