The Toxic Effects of Environmental Domoic Acid Exposure on Humans and Marine Wildlife
- Domoic acid
Abstract
Biotoxins produced by harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a substantial global threat to ocean and human health. Domoic acid (DA) is one such biotoxin whose negative impacts are forecasted to increase with climate change and coastal development. This manuscript serves as a review of DA toxicosis after environmental exposure in humans and wildlife, including an introduction to HAB toxins, the history of DA toxicosis, DA production, toxicokinetic properties of DA, susceptibility, clinical signs, DA detection methods and other diagnostic tests, time course of toxicosis, treatment, prognostics, and recommendations for future research. Additionally, we highlight the utility of California sea lions (CSLs; Zalophus californianus) as a model and sentinel of environmental DA exposure.
Krasner, A.E., Martinez, M.E., Field, C.L. and Fire, S.E., 2025. The Toxic Effects of Environmental Domoic Acid Exposure on Humans and Marine Wildlife. Marine Drugs, 23(2), p.61. https://doi.org/10.3390/md23020061. Open access. Published January 29, 2025.
Cara Field
Maggie Martinez
domoic acid, california sea lions, biotoxins, toxicosis, DA, DA toxicosis, domoic acid toxicosis, harmful algal blooms, biotoxin, marine wildlife, amnesic shellfish poisoning, glutamate receptor, sentinels
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{"image":"\/People\/Portrait\/maggie-martinez.jpg","alt":"Maggie Martinez","title":"Maggie Martinez","text":"Associate Pathologist","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/person\/maggie-martinez","link_text":"Read Bio"}
{"image":"\/People\/Portrait\/cara-field.jpg","alt":"Cara Field","title":"Cara Field","text":"Director, Conservation Medicine","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/person\/cara-field","link_text":"Read Bio"}
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