The CyanoHABs: Cyanobacteria Harmful Algae Waterblooms
Wayne Carmichael, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Wright State University
18 Mar 2005
Increasingly, harmful algal blooms (HAB's) are being reported worldwide due to several factors, primarily eutrophication, climate change and more scientific investigation. HAB organisms include those causing PSP (paralytic shellfish poisoning), DSP (diarrhetic shellfish poisoning), NSP (neurotoxic shellfish poisoning), ASP (amnesic shellfish poisoning) and CTP (cyanobacteria toxin poisoning). All but CTP organisms occur mainly in marine habitats. CTP's occur in freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and reservoirs throughout the world. Organisms responsible include an estimated 40 genera but the main ones are Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Cylindrospermopsis, Lyngbya, Microcystis, Nostoc and Oscillatoria (Planktothrix). Cyanobacteria toxins (cyanotoxins) include cytotoxins and biotoxins with biotoxins being responsible for acute lethal, acute, chronic and sub-chronic poisonings of wild and domestic animals and humans. The biotoxins include the neurotoxins; anatoxin-a, anatoxin-a(s) and saxitoxins plus the hepatotoxins; microcystins, nodularins and cylindrospermopsin.