What is red tide and why is it harmful to humans and to environment? | What Science says | PH RED TV
Summary
TLDRIn this Phred TV episode, we explore red tide, a marine phenomenon that can be dangerous to coastal communities. It's a harmful algae bloom that produces toxins, affecting shellfish and causing paralytic shellfish poisoning in humans. Symptoms include tingling, headache, dizziness, and potentially life-threatening respiratory issues. The National Red Tide Task Force monitors these blooms in the Philippines to protect public health and the shellfish industry.
Takeaways
- 🌊 Red tide is a marine phenomenon that can be harmful to health and coastal economies.
- 🌡️ It is sometimes referred to as a harmful algae bloom (HAB), even if it doesn't visibly color the water.
- 🦠 Most phytoplankton are harmless, but some species produce potent neurotoxins.
- 🐚 Shellfish like mussels or clams can concentrate these toxins, posing a risk to humans who consume them.
- 🚨 Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) is a serious syndrome that can occur after eating contaminated shellfish.
- ⏱️ Symptoms of PSP can appear within two hours of consumption, including tingling and numbness, headache, and nausea.
- 🏥 Severe cases of PSP can lead to respiratory difficulties and even death within 24 hours.
- 💨 Physical contact with red tide can cause breathing problems, especially for those with pre-existing lung conditions.
- 🛑 There is no antidote for PSP, but life support measures can help ensure recovery.
- 🔬 In the Philippines, the National Red Tide Task Force monitors red tides to protect public health and the shellfish industry.
Q & A
What is red tide?
-Red tide is a marine phenomenon that poses a great risk to the health and economic livelihood of people in coastal areas. It is sometimes referred to as a harmful algae bloom (HAB).
Why is red tide harmful?
-Red tide is harmful because a small number of phytoplankton species within it produce potent neurotoxins that can be transferred down the food chain and affect people who ingest them.
How do humans commonly get affected by red tide?
-Humans are commonly affected by red tide through the consumption of shellfish such as mussels or clams that have been exposed to the harmful algae bloom.
What is Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)?
-Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) is a syndrome that people can develop if they eat seafood contaminated by a red tide. It can be life-threatening and often shows itself within two hours of consumption.
What are the symptoms of PSP?
-Symptoms of PSP include tingling of the lips and tongue, headache, dizziness, nausea, and in severe cases, muscular paralysis and respiratory difficulty.
How soon can the symptoms of PSP appear after consuming contaminated shellfish?
-The symptoms of PSP can appear within 30 minutes to 2 hours after ingestion of contaminated shellfish.
What are the severe effects of PSP?
-In severe cases, PSP can lead to respiratory arrest within 24 hours of consumption, and even death if not treated promptly.
Can red tide cause breathing problems even for those without respiratory issues?
-Yes, coming into physical contact with red tide may result in breathing problems even for people who do not have previous respiratory issues.
What is the role of the National Red Tide Task Force (NRTTF) in the Philippines?
-The NRTTF in the Philippines is mandated to monitor toxic red tides to protect the public from illness and death caused by red tide toxins and to mitigate its negative impact on the shellfish industry.
Is there an antidote for PSP?
-There is no specific antidote for syndromes such as PSP, but life support systems like mechanical respirators and oxygen can help individuals make a full recovery.
What should one do if they suspect they have eaten contaminated seafood?
-If one suspects they have eaten contaminated seafood, they should see a doctor immediately.
Outlines
🌊 Understanding Red Tide
The video introduces the concept of red tide, a marine phenomenon that poses significant health and economic risks to coastal communities. It explains that red tide, also known as harmful algae bloom (HAB), is caused by certain species of phytoplankton that produce potent neurotoxins. These toxins can accumulate in shellfish, leading to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in humans who consume them. The video emphasizes the importance of not consuming shellfish exposed to red tide and the potential life-threatening effects of PSP, which can cause paralysis and respiratory difficulties.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Red Tide
💡Harmful Algae Bloom (HAB)
💡Neurotoxins
💡Shellfish
💡Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)
💡Food Chain
💡Nervous System
💡Respiratory Difficulty
💡Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
💡National Red Tide Task Force (NRTTF)
💡Life Support Systems
Highlights
Red tide is a marine phenomenon that poses a risk to health and economy in coastal areas.
Red tide is also known as harmful algae bloom (HAB).
Harmful algae blooms can produce potent neurotoxins.
Toxins from red tide can be transferred down the food chain affecting humans.
Shellfish such as mussels or clams can carry red tide toxins.
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) is a syndrome caused by consuming contaminated seafood.
PSP can be life-threatening and may show symptoms within two hours.
Symptoms of PSP include tingling of lips and tongue, headache, dizziness, and nausea.
Severe cases of PSP can lead to muscular paralysis and respiratory difficulty.
There's no antidote for PSP, but life support systems can aid recovery.
Physical contact with red tide may cause breathing problems.
Red tide reactions can be worse for individuals with chronic lung diseases.
Red tide can negatively impact marine life.
The National Red Tide Task Force in the Philippines monitors toxic red tides.
Regular updates on red tide are issued to protect the public and shellfish industry.
If you suspect consuming contaminated seafood, seek medical attention immediately.
Transcripts
[Music]
hi
welcome to phred tv in today's video
let's find out more about red tide
and why shellfish exposed to red tide
should not be consumed
[Music]
but before we continue please subscribe
to this channel
and hit the notification bell icon to
keep you updated on my future uploads
without much further ado let's begin
with our topic
red tight is a marine phenomenon that
poses great risk to the health
and economic livelihood of people in
coastal areas
the red tide is sometimes referred to as
a harmful algae bloom or hab
in some cases harmful algae blooms are
not dense enough to give ocean a
particular hue
their most prominent effect is often
seen in the surrounding ecosystem
most phytoplankton species are not
harmful to people but a small number of
species
are known to produce potent neurotoxins
these toxins can be transferred down the
food chain
it's made up of microscopic algae or
phytoplankton which are essential to
ocean life affecting people who
accidentally ingest them
the consumption of shellfish such as
mussels or clams
is one of the most common ways for
humans to be affected by red tide
paralytic shellfish poisoning or also
known as psp is a syndrome
that people can develop if they eat
seafood contaminated by a red tide
psp can be life-threatening and often
shows itself within two hours of
consumption
[Music]
consuming toxic shellfish could lead to
paralytic shellfish poisoning
which affects the nervous system within
30 minutes after ingestion
this causes tingling of the lips and
tongue which spreads to the face
neck fingertips and toes it will also
lead to headache
dizziness and nausea in severe cases
muscular paralysis and respiratory
difficulty may occur
within 5 to 12 hours in non-lethal cases
these conditions may appear over the
course of a few days
in severe instances individuals may
experience respiratory arrest
within 24 hours of consumption coming
into physical contact with red tide
may result in breathing problems even
for people who don't have previous
respiratory issues
reactions to red tide may be worse in
individuals with asthma
emphysema or any other chronic lung
disease
to end our topic here's our key ideas
for this video
red tide may not be harmful to humans
who aren't exposed to its toxins but it
can have a negative impact on marine
life
if you eat seafood contaminated with
toxins neurological symptoms may occur
and become serious
there's no antidote for syndromes such
as psp but life support systems
such as a mechanical respirator and
oxygen
can help you make a full recovery see a
doctor
if you think you may have eaten
contaminated seafood
in the philippines under the bureau of
fisheries and aquatic resources
nrttf for the national red tide task
force is mandated
to monitor toxic red tides in our
country this is to protect the public
from the illness and death caused by the
red tide toxin
and also to mitigate its negative impact
to the shellfish industry
the regular issuance of the red tide
update is also being undertaken
that's all for today i hope you learned
something new in today's topic
thank you for stay tuning in see you
again soon here at phred tv
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