Mushroom Poisoning

Found this study online. Here’s my take — I suspect most of these poisoning cases to be idiots looking for hallucinogenic cubensis shrooms. Some ate the wrong ones and got toxic shooms, others ate too many cubensis and got sick and stoned. The remainder of the poisonings are far more tragic, they are mycophagists who mis-identified a jack-o-lantern for a chantarelle or other likely mishap. If they wound up with a death cap or other amanita shroom, they can get very very sick just because of a false ID. So be careful out there.

Texas mushroom poisoning cases 2005-2006

Introduction

Texas has approximately 200 species of wild mushrooms, including toxic and hallucinogenic varieties. Mushroom ingestions in Texas were studied for 2005–2006.

Methods

Data was obtained via Texas Poison Control Centers and retrospectively reviewed. Case notes were reviewed individually regarding initial reporting, age, signs and symptoms, toxic effect, management, and patient outcomes.

Results

A total of 742 exposures occurred during the study period. All exposures were acute and intentional. Of these exposures, 59 (7.9%) were admitted to the hospital, with 17 (28.8% of admissions) requiring admission to a critical care unit. Four cases required inpatient psychiatric admission. The average age of admitted exposures was 20.5 years, with a male-to-female predominance of 3.3:1. Eleven (22.9%) of the admitted exposures were identified, with Psilocybin being the most common agent (n = 10, 91%). Among the admissions, co-ingestions were identified with the mushroom ingestion in eleven patients (40.7%). The most common symptoms in admitted patients were vomiting (n = 34, 57.6%), nausea (n = 19, 32.2%), altered mental status (n = 17, 28.8%), abdominal pain (n = 13, 22%), and diarrhea (n = 10, 16.9%).

Conclusions

All mushroom exposures examined were acute and intentional. Major toxic reactions were uncommon, and no deaths were reported. Serious poisoning from mushroom ingestion is rare in Texas; however, there is greater need for information dissemination on morbidity.

Keywords mycetismus - mushroom - mushroom ingestion - Texas - Amanita

The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the author and not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the U.S. Army Medical Department, Department of the Army, or the Department of Defense. Citation of commercial organizations and trade names in this manuscript do not constitute any official Department of the Army or Department of the Defense endorsement or approval of the products or services of these organizations.

All data produced from the American Association of Poison Control Centers databases during the year in which the exposures occur is considered preliminary. Changes occur in only a small number of cases each year. This is because it is possible that a poison center may update a case any time during that year if new data is obtained. In February of each year, the data for the previous year is locked and no changes are permitted. At that time, the data for a year is considered closed.

There was no outside funding of any kind used for this study.

Article permitted to republish to huntingmorels.com License Number 2491571028672

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One Response to “Mushroom Poisoning”

loraine leach says:

May 29, 2012 at 10:56 am

I have had 2 baby goats that were 3 months old die this week and believe they died bacause they ate mushroom out in the pasture. Wondering what poison mushrooms looked like and is there is a cure for goats who eat them. The ones in our pasture are cream colored with brown streaks through them. Thanks

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