Very Fast Death Factor has been implicated in the deaths of domestic animals and wildlife worldwide. What is Very Fast Death Factor?
Very Fast Death Factor, more formally known as anatoxin-a, is a bicyclic secondary amine that acts as a potent agonist at nicotinic receptors at the neuromuscular junction and in the CNS. Acting as a depolarizing paralytic agent, intraperitoneal injection of anatoxin-a into mice leads to death from respiratory paralysis within minutes. Anatoxin-a is a produced by select cyanobacteria and is an increasing concern in many areas due to lake eutrophication and global warming. Ingestion of anatoxin-a by humans leads to early onset gastrointestinal symptoms. Anatoxin-a has been implicated in the death of one human secondary to ingestion of contaminated pool water. A recent study demonstrating the aerosolization of this toxin over harmful algal blooms raises the concern that exposure may also occur via the respiratory route.
Aráoz R, Molgó J, Tandeau de Marsac N. Neurotoxic cyanobacterial toxins. Toxicon. 2010 Oct;56(5):813-28. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2009.07.036 Toxicological Reviews of Cyanobacterial Toxins: Anatoxin-A; National Center for Environmental Assessment, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2006. Sutherland JW, Turcotte RJ, Molden E, Moriarty V, Kelly M, Aubel M, Foss A. The detection of airborne anatoxin-a (ATX) on glass fiber filters during a harmful algal bloom. Lake Reserv Manage. 2021; 37:113–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/10402381.2021.1881191
Contributed by Michael Hodgman, MD