[Ciguatera and acute polyradiculoneuritis. Description of two cases in French Polynesia: immunoallergic hypothesis?].

Ciguatera is a foodborne poisoning caused by eating seafood from tropical and subtropical reef areas. According to official data from the local health department, cases of ciguatera in French Polynesia are estimated to involve 240 to 400 persons per 100 000 inhabitants. Associated with a wide spectrum of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, nervous, and general signs, ciguatera is usually benign although some forms can lead to hospitalization. The purpose of this report is to describe two unusual cases involving patients who developed acute polyradiculoneuritis with Guillain-Barré-syndrome-like peripheral nervous system deficits on the seventh day of ciguatera after ingestion of moray eel. The hypothesis of an immune-allergic reaction is raised especially in the light of rapid improvement of the patient who received polyvalent immunoglobulin treatment.