mushroom poisoning

BACKGROUND: In spite of the scientific evidence supporting health advantages of mushrooms, some of them are seriously poisonous. The clinical picture of mushroom intoxication ranges from minor gastrointestinal symptoms to organ failure, such as liver failure and death. METHOD: We provided demographics, clinicopathological characteristics, applied treatments, and outcomes of mushroom poisoning by Lepiota species in a series of 18 cases that were referred from Kermanshah and Lorestan provinces to Abu-Ali-Sina Hospital, Shiraz, Iran...

Acute liver failure is defined as a rapid deterioration in liver function, manifested by symptoms and signs of hepatic encephalopathy and disturbed synthetic function in a patient without Pre-existing cirrhosis and with an illness of less than 26 weeks duration. Mushroom poisoning as a cause of acute liver injury is rare but associated with deadly outcomes if not early recognized and treated. The mortality is very high in the case of amatoxin-containing mushrooms ingestion and liver transplantation is the only lifesaving option...

Amanita phalloides poisonings account for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings. Recently, we identified hematotoxicity as a relevant aspect of Amanita poisonings. In this study, we investigated the effects of the main toxins of Amanita phalloides , α- and β-amanitin, on hematopoietic cell viability in vitro. Hematopoietic cell lines were exposed to α-amanitin or β-amanitin for up to 72 h with or without the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD(OH)-FMK, antidotes N-acetylcysteine, silibinin, and benzylpenicillin, and organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B3 (OATP1B3) inhibitors rifampicin and cyclosporin...

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC?: Fatal poisonings caused by wild mushrooms containing amanita toxins pose a significant threat in the southern regions of China. These toxins primarily induce gastrointestinal symptoms initially, which are then followed by potentially life-threatening acute liver damage. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT?: This report contributes to the existing knowledge on these cases of poisoning by documenting the second occurrences in Hebei Province and the first occurrences in Xingtai City...

Mushroom poisoning is a severe problem of public health, however, information about its epidemiology and management is still limited. This is the first study focused on Sardinia that investigates data about mushroom poisoning describing epidemiology, clinical presentation, seasonality, and the most common involved species. In this retrospective study, we analyzed data recovered from the database of Mycological Inspectorates during a 10-year period (2011-2021). Overall, 164 cases of mushroom poisoning have been identified, with significant peaks in autumn...

Cordyceps , also known as "zombie fungus", is a non-poisonous mushroom that parasitizes insects for growth and development by manipulating the host system in a way that makes the victim behave like a "zombie". These species produce promising bioactive metabolites, like adenosine, β-glucans, cordycepin, and ergosterol. Cordyceps has been used in traditional medicine due to its immense health benefits, as it boosts stamina, appetite, immunity, longevity, libido, memory, and sleep. Neuronal loss is the typical feature of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) (Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)) and neurotrauma...

Lepiota brunneoincarnata is a highly toxic mushroom species known to cause acute liver failure. However, there are limited reports investigating L. brunneoincarnata causing acute hepatic and renal damage. The present article reports 2 cases of L. brunneoincarnata poisoning in a mother and son from Chuxiong City, Yunnan Province, China. Both patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms approximately 8-9 h after ingesting the suspect mushrooms and sought medical attention 27-28 h post-ingestion, both exhibiting acute hepatic and kidney injuries...

Mushroom (amatoxin) poisoning from ingestion is a rare but life-threatening medical emergency characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms before progression to multisystem organ failure in severe cases. Many therapies of amatoxin intoxication have been described, including supportive care, medical therapies, detoxification strategies, and liver transplant. The evidence supporting these therapies remains limited due to the rarity of amatoxin poisoning and challenge of a timely diagnosis. We report a case of amatoxin poisoning in Los Angeles causing severe liver injury without acute liver failure treated successfully using medical therapies, gallbladder drainage, and plasma exchange...

Tropical Asian collections of Inosperma are usually poisonous mushrooms that have caused many poisoning incidents. However, the species diversity and the toxic mechanisms of these Inosperma species are still unclear. In this study, we describe the discovery of Inosperma wuzhishanense sp. nov. from Wuzhishan City, Hainan Province, tropical China. The new species was identified based on morphological and multi-locus (ITS, nrLSU, and RPB2 ) phylogenetic analyses. The new species is characterized by its reddish-brown pileus, fibrillose stipes with finely protruding fibrils, rather crowded lamellae, smooth and ellipsoid basidiospores, and mostly clavate, thin-walled cheilocystidia...

Loss of consciousness ranks among very common causes for emergency medical service actions and is common occurrence in the emergency department. Its differential diagnosis is very broad and includes many possible causes, not in the least an intoxication. The same applies to convulsive states. Clinical course of mushroom poisoning varies depending on the particular fungal species, with some of the species causing loss of consciousness. One typical representative of such species is panther cap (Amanita pantherina)...

Included on the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, atropine remains a cornerstone medication that is used for a myriad of clinical indications. Systemically, atropine carries indications for the treatment of asymptomatic and symptomatic bradycardia, reduction of salivation and bronchial secretions prior to surgery, and as an antidote for a variety of poisoning agents (i.e., carbamate or organophosphate insecticides, nerve agents, muscarine-containing mushrooms). Topically, atropine is administered via the ophthalmic route for the treatment of cycloplegia, mydriasis, and amblyopia or may be administered sublingually to treat chronic sialorrhea...

Consumption of wild mushrooms has increased in recent years; however, not all of them are edible and there is no precise information on those that may cause poisoning. Therefore, studies to obtain data about their toxicity are needed. For this purpose, we used the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana, a crustacean employed in toxicity tests and with wide application in the toxin detection, including mycotoxins. Mushrooms were collected in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, with which aqueous extracts were prepared. Dilutions of the stock solution of each extract were made to final concentrations of 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1000 µg/mL...

Unsafe food causes 600 million cases of foodborne diseases and 420,000 deaths every year. Meanwhile, biological toxins such as poisonous mushrooms, saponins, and aflatoxin can cause significant damage to humans. Therefore, it is particularly important to study foodborne disease outbreaks caused by biotoxins (FDOB). We collected FDOB in Yantai City from 2013 to 2022 and further established a corresponding database. Statistical analysis was carried out according to time, place, pathogen, and contamination of pathogenic factors...

Mushroom poisoning is a public health concern worldwide that not only harms the physical and mental health of those who are poisoned but also increases the medical and financial burden on families and society. The present study aimed to describe and analyze the current situations and factors influencing mushroom poisoning outbreaks in Guizhou province, Southwest China, between January 2012 and June 2022, and to predict the future trends of its occurrence. Our study provides a basis for the rational formulation of prevention and control and medical resource allocation policies for mushroom poisoning...

In France, mushroom picking is part of the culture. The practice is not without risk, as around 1300 people are poisoned each year by eating wild mushrooms on the French mainland. However, this practice is not part of local culture on Reunion Island, a French territory located in the Indian Ocean. Indeed, there are practically no reports of mushroom poisoning on Reunion Island. Here we describe, through a retrospective study, cases of mushroom poisoning recorded in the Indian Ocean toxicosurveillance system database from 2020 to 2021...

Fungi that are edible or fermentative were domesticated through selective cultivation of their desired traits. Domestication is often associated with inbreeding or selfing, which may fix traits other than those under selection, and causes an overall decrease in heterozygosity. A hallucinogenic mushroom, Psilocybe cubensis, was domesticated from its niche in livestock dung for production of psilocybin. It has caused accidental poisonings since the 1940s in Australia, which is a population hypothesized to be introduced from an unknown center of origin...

We describe a case of hepatoportal sclerosis (HPS) identified in an 81-year-old woman taking a traditional Chinese herbal supplementation, Cordyceps . The patient presented with splenomegaly and weight loss. After an extensive evaluation, liver biopsy confirmed loss of the small portal veins with characteristics of obstruction at the level of the small and large portal veins, suggestive of HPS. After a comprehensive history and exclusion of other etiological factors, patient's HPS was attributed to Cordyceps use...

α-Amanitin is one of the primary toxins produced by the poisonous mushroom genus, Amanita . Because it is odorless and tasteless, it is an important cause of death from the consumption of misidentified mushrooms. To study the thermal stability of α-amanitin, novel cell-based assays were developed to measure the toxin's activity, based on the inhibition of RNA polymerase II by α-amanitin. First, an MTT-formazan cell viability assay was used to measure the biological activity of α-amanitin through the inhibition of cellular activity...

α-Amanitin is a representative toxin found in the Amanita genus of mushrooms, and the consumption of mushrooms containing α-Amanitin can lead to severe liver damage. In this study, we conduct toxicological experiments to validate the protective effects of Ganoderic acid A against α-amanitin-induced liver damage. By establishing animal models with different durations of Ganoderic acid A treatment and conducting a metabolomic analysis of the serum samples, we further confirmed the differences in serum metabolites between the AMA+GA and AMA groups...

INTRODUCTION: Mushrooms containing amatoxin are found worldwide and represent a challenging poisoning for the clinician and consulting poison center. This study evaluates the experience of a large poison system with possible amatoxin-containing mushroom ingestion calls. METHODS: A 10-year retrospective review of the California Poison Control System database was performed for amatoxin mushroom ingestion calls resulting in hospitalization. Cases found were abstracted and data statistically analyzed for association with a composite endpoint of death, liver transplant, and/or the need for dialysis...