National ciguatera research strategy: reducing the incidence of ciguatera in Australia through improved risk management (eds: A Seger, N Dowsett and A Turnbull)

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) accounts for the majority of food safety outbreaks related to seafood consumption in Australia, with more than 1,650 cases reported since 1965, including 2 fatalities [1-9]. Taking into account an estimated reporting rate of <20% [3], this equates to an approximated incidence of 148 CFP cases per year. A nationally consistent approach to management and reporting is therefore urgently required. The critical need to better understand CFP is reflected internationally, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) highlighting the apparent climate-change driven global increase of cases as an emerging threat to seafood safety.