Diagnosis of Scombroid Poisoning by Measurement of Plasma Histamine

To the Editor: Scombroid poisoning is a form of ichthyosarcotoxism caused by eating spoiled fish, mainly of the scombroid family (such as tuna and bonito).1 Inappropriate storage of these fish can lead to the decarboxylation of histidine in the flesh to histamine by enterobacteria.2 The symptoms of histamine poisoning mimic those of an IgE-mediated food allergy: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hives, itching, rash, and hypotension can occur within minutes to a few hours of ingesting the fish and last up to 24 hours. We report the occurrence of scombroid poisoning in nine persons. Ten to 90 minutes after eating a meal . . .