Dinoflagellates are microalgae that are associated with the production of many marine toxins. These toxins poison fish, other wildlife and humans. Dinoflagellate-associated human poisonings include paralytic shellfish poisoning, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, and ciguatera fish poisoning. Dinoflagellate toxins and bioactives are of increasing interest because of...

Many emerging and reemerging bacterial pathogens synthesize toxins that serve as primary virulence factors. We highlight seven bacterial toxins produced by well-established or newly emergent pathogenic microbes. These toxins, which affect eukaryotic cells by a variety of means, include Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin, Shiga toxin, cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1, Escherichia coli heat-sta...

Marine dinoflagellates are the single most important group of algae that produce toxins, which have a global impact on human activities. The toxins are chemically diverse, and include macrolides, cyclic polyethers, spirolides and purine alkaloids. Whereas there is a multitude of studies describing the pharmacology of these toxins, there is limited or no knowledge regarding the biochemistry and ...

BACKGROUND Rapid commercial assays, including nucleic acid amplification tests and immunoassays for Clostridium. difficile toxins, have replaced the use of older assays. They are included in a two-step algorithm diagnosis, including first the detection of the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) as a screening method and second the detection of toxins as a confirmatory method. Although assays that det...

Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) is a gastrointestinal disease caused by lipid soluble polyether toxins produced by dinoflagellates and accumulated in shellfish. Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning is a worldwide threat to public health and the shellfish industry. To date, only four lipid soluble polyethers have been known as diarrhetic shellfish toxins. Among them, Okadaic acid (OA), Dinophysis...

BACKGROUND Retention of uremic toxins in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) negatively affects multiple organ systems, including the cardiovascular system, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Alleviation of the adverse effects of uremic toxins is an important priority in the management of CKD. SCOPE This review focuses on the evidence for the influence of uremic toxins o...