Each year in spring, globefish (also called puffer fish) enters into its spawning season, when it is the most toxic. Therefore, high occurrences of globefish poisoning usually break out in spring, particularly around Tomb-sweeping Day, the peak period of globefish.

Almost all types of globefish contain a kind of neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX). About 0.5mg-3mg TTX can be lethal. TTX is a heat-resistant toxin which cannot be decomposed even after eight hours of 100 ℃ intense heat. Only one hour of 120℃ heat can achieve such an effect. Nor can salt and sunburn destroy the toxin. It has been measured that the toxicity of TTX is equivalent to 1250 times that of sodium cyanide, a highly toxic drug. The most poisonous parts of globefish are its ovary and liver, followed by kidney, blood, eye, gill and skin. The toxicity of globefish also relates to its reproductive cycle. In late spring and early summer when the fish is bearing eggs, it is the most toxic. TTX can at first cause numbness, vomiting and cold limbs, then it will halt people’s breathing and heartbeat. There has been news coverage of human deaths caused by globefish poisoning both at home and abroad.

The incubation period of globefish poisoning can be as short as 10-30 minutes, other patients start to show symptoms of onset within 3-6 hours. The acute onset is sweepingly powerful, starting with symptoms of numbness or tingling of fingers, the lip, and the tip of the tongue, then comes nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, limb weakness and numbness, body swaying and walking difficulties, and graver symptoms include general paralysis, language barriers, breathing difficulties, dropping blood pressure and coma. Those with severe poisoning mostly die of respiratory failure. Without prompt rescue measures, patients can die within 10 minutes, or at most 4-6 hours since toxication. Reports say that mortality rate of globefish poisoning in Japan is as high as 61.5%.
 
For the present, there are no de-toxicating agents with special effects. Therefore, in case of globefish poisoning, patients should be immediately sent to hospital for emergency treatment, so that doctors can remove toxic substances and offer symptomatic treatment.
　　
To prevent globefish poisoning, we should, first of all, be aware that globefish is poisonous. We should also be able to identify its shape in order to avoid mistakenly taking in globefish. Globefish usually has a long, round body with a flat quadrate head. Some globefish have colorful stripes, some are just pure black. Other sources say globefish is diamond-shaped, with hollow eyes that are half projected outside, and the upper and lower teeth respectively have two teeth looking much like human teeth. Its gill is small and not very obvious, and the belly is yellow-white, with little white fish fins on the back and belly. The slippery fish has no scales, and is generally black yellow.

Measures on Hygiene Management of Aquatic Products promulgated in China explicitly stipulates that globefish is highly toxic and shall not enter the market. It is our common responsibility to stay healthy and cherish our lives! Here, we --- Beijing Health Inspection, reminds every citizen not to eat globefish. If you find globefish on sale in the market, please contact your local health authorities immediately, or call 12320 to report your findings. Thanks for your cooperation!