General Information

Event name: US-94-024
Country: UNITED STATES
Nature of the harmful event:
Seafood toxins
Event directly affected:
Humans
Toxicity detected: Yes (Approximate range: 562 µg STXeq / 100 g.)
Associated syndrome: PSP
Unexplained toxicity: No
Species implicated in toxin transmission (transvector): Razor clams.
Report the outcome of a monitoring programme: Yes
Event occurred before in this location: Yes (14 August 1982 - PSP levels of 5028 µg/100 grams with mussels. Five people ill and medivaced to Anchorage.)
Individuals to contact: OSTASZ, Michael J.

Location & Date

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Location: Latitude: 55.866667, Longitude: -152.333333
General location information: Perryville at Humpback Bay., Alaska.
HAB Area code(s): US-26
Additional location information: Humpback Bay is a bight 5 miles across on the south coast of the Alaska Peninsula 12 miles ENE of Stepovak Bay.
Bloom event dates (yyyy/mm/dd): Event Date:1994-03-30
Start: 1994-03-30,
Quarantine levels dates (yyyy/mm/dd):
Additional date-related information:

Microalgae

Causative organism known: No
Causative Species/Genus:
Co-Ocurring Species/Genus:
Chlorophyll concentration, if known: µg/l
Additional bloom information: Causative species unknown at this time.
Event-related bibliography:

Environmental Conditions

Weather: Turbidity (NTU): Wind direction:
Stratified water: No Oxygen content (nL/L): Wind velocity:
Temperature (°C): Oxygen saturation %: Current Direction:
Sechhi disk (m): Salinity: Current Velocity: 0
Nutrient information:
Temperature Range During Event: Max: °C, Min: °C
Salinity Range During Event:
Bloom location in the water column:
Growth:
Growth Comments
Additional Environmental information: Protected area of the Alaska Peninsula.

Toxin Assay Information

Species containing the toxin Toxin type Toxin details Max. concentration Assay type
Razor clams Saxitoxins STX eq 562 Bioassay-Mouse
Kit used: No Type of kit used:
Additional information: Razor clams sampled for PSP results. Razor clams with viscera, shucked and without siphon tips - 528 and 562 µg/100 grams. Razor clams canned, eviscerated (siphon tips removed) - 129 and 263 µg/100 grams. Broth from canned product - 136 and 249 µg/100 grams.
Economic losses:
Management decision: Village put out a general warnign not to eat clams, State will put out a press release.
Additional harmful effect information:
IOC/UNESCO ISSHA
IOC/UNESCO ICES PICES