injuries poisoning
Mushroom Poisoning
Introduction
Numerous mushroom species cause toxicity when ingested. Toxins and thus symptoms vary by species. Identification of specific species is difficult, so treatment usually is guided by symptoms. (See also General Principles of Poisoning .) Differentiating toxic and nontoxic species in the wild is difficult, even for highly knowledgeable people. Folklore rules are unreliable, and the same species may have varying degrees of toxicity depending on where and when they are harvested. If patients have eaten an unidentified mushroom, identifying the species can help determine specific treatment. However, because an experienced mycologist is seldom available for immediate consultation, treatment of patients who become ill after mushroom ingestion is usually guided by symptoms. If a sample of the mushroom, uningested or from the patient’s emesis, is available, it can be sent to a mycologist for analysis. All toxic mushrooms cause vomiting and abdominal pain; other manifestations vary significantly by mushroom type. Generally, mushrooms that cause symptoms early (within 2 hours) are less dangerous than those that cause symptoms later (usually after 6 hours). Treatment for most mushroom poisonings is symptomatic and supportive. Activatedcharcoalmay be useful to limit absorption. Numerous antidotal therapies have been tried, especially forAmanitaspecies, but none have shown consistently positive results. 