Presumed Envenoming by the Striped Eel-Tailed Catfish <i>Plotosus lineatus</i> in the Mascarene Islands: Experience of the Marseille Poison Control Center and the Indian Ocean Toxicovigilance Department

Introduction<i>Plotosus lineatus</i>, also known as the striped eel-tailed catfish, is a marine catfish easily identifiable with its black and white stripes and 4 pairs of barbels. This beautiful species is capable of inflicting an intensely painful sting caused by heat-labile venom toxins. Its presence has been widely confirmed, particularly in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, but cases of human envenomation are rarely reported in the medical literature.MethodsIn this report, we describe a case series of presumed envenomations by <i>P lineatus</i> registered in the Indian Ocean French territories of Reunion Island and Mayotte Island from 2011 to 2023.ResultsA total of 30 cases were reported, most of which involved males (n=27; 90%). Most stings occurred when fishing (n=22; 73%) and involved the hand (n=29; 97%). All individuals reported pain (100%) that was accompanied by local or extensive swelling in 12 cases (40%). Most cases were of moderate severity (persistent spinal pain syndrome type 2, n=27; 90%). The main treatment involved the use of analgesics (ie, paracetamol, tramadol, or morphine), exposure to hot water or alternating cycle of exposure to hot and cold sources, and local anesthetics. For 10 patients (33%) for whom information was available, there was full recovery within 24 h in most cases (after 7 d in 1 patient) without sequelae.ConclusionThese findings show that stings by <i>P lineatus</i> may occur in the Mascarene Islands and that fishermen are the most likely to be stung because of handling <i>P lineatus</i>.