Mushroom Poisoning-A 17 Year Retrospective Study at a Level I University Emergency Department in Switzerland

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 15; no. 12; p. 2855
• Main Authors: Keller, Sarah A, Klukowska-Rötzler, Jolanta, Schenk-Jaeger, Katharina M, Kupferschmidt, Hugo, Exadaktylos, Aristomenis K, Lehmann, Beat, Liakoni, Evangelia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 14-12-2018; MDPI
• Subjects: Complications; Disturbances; Emergencies; Emergency medical services; Information centers; Laboratories; Mushroom poisoning; Mushrooms; Patients; Poisoning; Poisons; Suicides & suicide attempts; Urine; Switzerland; emergency department; mushroom poisoning; mushroom toxicity
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15122855

The consequences of mushroom poisoning range from mild, mostly gastrointestinal, disturbances to organ failure or even death. This retrospective study describes presentations related to mushroom poisoning at an emergency department in Bern (Switzerland) from January 2001 to October 2017. Gastrointestinal disturbances were reported in 86% of the 51 cases. The National Poisons Information Centre and mycologists were involved in 69% and 61% of the cases, respectively. Identification of the mushroom type/family was possible in 43% of the cases. The most common mushroom family was Boletaceae (n = 21) and the most common mushrooms
(n = 7; four being part of a cluster),
,
and
(n = 5 each, four being part of a cluster). Poisonous mushrooms included
(n = 3, all analytically confirmed),
(n = 3),
(n = 2) and
(n = 2). There were no fatalities and 80% of the patients were discharged within 24 h. Mushroom poisoning does not appear to be a common reason for emergency consultation and most presentations were of minor severity and related to edible species (e.g., due to incorrect processing). Nevertheless, poisonous mushrooms and severe complications were also recorded. Collaboration with a poison centre and/or mycologists is of great importance, especially in high risk cases.