Brazilian man dies after eating poisonous pufferfish he got as a gift

In a tragic incident reported by the New York Post, a 46-year-old man from Brazil, Magno Sergio Gomes, lost his life after consuming poisonous pufferfish, known for its deadly venom. The fish was given to him as a gift by a friend, and the exact source remains unknown. Magno's sister, Myrian Gomes Lopes, shared that neither Magno nor his friend had previous experience cleaning pufferfish.

Magno and his friend, unfamiliar with handling such a fish, decided to cut it, remove the liver, boil it, and eat it with lemon juice.

Within an hour, both fell seriously ill. Myrian recounted, "Magno started to feel numb in his mouth," prompting him to drive himself to the hospital. It was there that the severity of the situation became apparent as "the numbness spread, and he went into cardiac arrest for 8 minutes."

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Potent toxin identified: Tetrodotoxin

The US Centre for Disease Control identified Magno's condition as resulting from tetrodotoxin, an extremely potent toxin primarily found in the liver and gonads of pufferfish and other marine species.

This substance, nearly 1,000 times more lethal than cyanide, serves as a predator deterrent for the blowfish.

There is no known antidote for this toxin, which interferes with nerve-to-muscle signals, leading to muscle paralysis and potential fatality.

Magno, facing the debilitating effects of tetrodotoxin, was placed on life support. Despite enduring 35 days in the hospital, the toxin's impact on his system proved fatal.

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Myrian revealed that doctors attributed his death to poisoning, which rapidly affected his head. Seizures, occurring three days after admission, significantly impacted his brain, leaving little hope for recovery.

While Magno's friend survived the ordeal, he faces challenges with his legs. Myrian shared, "He's not walking very well. He was neurologically impacted, but he is recovering." The incident highlights the dangers associated with consuming pufferfish and the devastating consequences of mishandling these toxic marine creatures.

(With inputs from agencies)