Histamine poisoning in tuberculosis patients on ingestion of tropical fish.

Three cases of histamine reaction occuring in tuberculosis patients on ingestion of a species of tropical fish, Sardinella (Amblygaster) sirm are reported. The symptoms and the circumstances leading to the reactions are almost identical with those previously reported with another variety of tropical fish, the skipjack or bonito. Isoniazid is a histaminase inhibitor. When fish with a high histamine content is eaten the histamine level in the tissues tends to rise thus producing features of histamine intoxication.