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An. R. Acad. Nac. Farm., 2006, 72: 391-408

Revisiones

Harmful algal blooms, red tides and human
health: Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning and
colorectal cancer

Recibido el 13 de septiembre de 2006

VICTORIA LOPEZ-RODAS 1, EMILIA MANEIRO 1,
JUAN MARTINEZ 2, MACARENA NAVARRO 1 &

EDUARDO COSTAS 1
1 Genética, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense,

28040. Madrid. Spain.
2 Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública.

Hospital Carlos III. 28029. Madrid. Spain.

ABSTRACT

Certain blooms of unicellular microscopic algae that change the colour of the
seawater to a reddish tone are called red tides. Hundred kilometres of the sea seem
blood during a red tide. In some cases the microalgal species of red tides produce
toxins or/and anoxic conditions, causing massive mortalities of marine animals.
The proliferation of toxic algae is denominated harmful algal blooms (HAB). The
majority of the toxic and red tide species are dinoflagellates, which present
fascinating nuclear features (permanently condensed chromosomes organized in
stacked rows of parallel nested arches without histones). Considerable time and
effort are required to identify a HABs species under light microscopy in monitoring
programs. Nowadays, the use of alternative molecular probes (antibodies, lectins,
DNA probes) that bind target harmful algae is an increasing procedure in
monitoring programs.

* Corresponding author: Eduardo Costas, Genética, Facultad de Veterinaria.
Universidad Complutense, 28040. Madrid. Spain. Ecostas@vet.ucm.es

Abbreviations: harmful algal blooms (HAB), diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP),
colorectal cancer incidence (CRC).

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