Is it bad if you ate a dozen raw shrimp and if so what should you do?

Answer 1

You must be in college... Places that serve raw fish (Sushi, but more accurately called Sashimi) serve raw shrimp. As long as the shrimp was fresh and kept on ice, you should be OK. You would know rather quickly if there was a problem because the 4 most popular diseases tranferred through the consumption of raw shellfish have telltale symptoms: Amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP)- is caused by Domoic Acid in shellfish. Symptoms are mainly gastrointestinal, especially at low levels, however about a quarter of cases experience neurological problems including memory loss that may be significant and permanent. Symptoms first appear within 24 hours and neurological difficulties within 48 hours. Toxic algae of the Pseudonitzchia genus produce Domoic Acid. Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP- ) attacks the nervous system. Symptoms include difficulty in swallowing, double vision, unsteadiness and tremor, nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, numbness, tingling of the mouth, lips and extremities. Difficulty in distinguishing between hot and cold is also a characteristic. Onset of symptoms is likely to be within 24 hours. NSP is sometimes produced by an algal species known as Karenia mikimotoi. Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP)- is caused by Okadaic Acid and related compounds. Symptoms are diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting and abdominal pain. Acute symptoms usually occur within 12 hours and are of short duration. DSP group toxins are produced by a variety of phytoplankton species, mainly of the Dinophysis genus. Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP)- is caused by a group of chemicals called the saxitoxins and gonyautoxins. These chemicals all differ in their toxicity to humans but paralysis sets in shortly after consumption. You may be confusing boiled fresh shrimp that has been chilled or frozen with raw shrimp. Chilled and boiled fresh shrimp is perfectly fine and is not cause for concern. Raw fish or shrimp served at a sushi bar is of a certain 'grade' and is marinated before serving; the marinade kills any bacteria in the raw food. If you've eaten a dozen raw shrimp as the result of a bet or a dare, I would recommend making that your first and only experience with eating raw food of any kind that is not served in a restaurant!