Mushroom poisoning

• Toxicity of the fungi themselves due to the presence of toxins (or mycotoxins )
• Long-term storage of harvested mushrooms without cooking or long-term storage of mushrooms already cooked
• The defeat of fungi by pests, in particular, mushroom flies
• Co-consumption of certain types of mushrooms (for example, dung beetles - Coprinus ) with alcohol
• Accumulation during the growth of the fungus in the fruit bodies of substances harmful to the body (heavy metals, etc.)

The abuse of mushrooms, even the first category, is harmful to the body, since mushrooms are indigestible food and, with a large amount of semi-digested mass, intoxication of the body can develop.

Most often, poisoning occurs with fungi, which have an external resemblance to edible and accidentally gather with them. To avoid such a mistake that can become fatal, it is necessary to study the common signs of fungi well and to know the characteristic differences of poisonous species.

Only mushroom species known to you should be collected. Unknown or doubtful fruiting bodies should not be eaten. It should be remembered that the characteristic features may not be present in some specimens, for example, white flakes on a fly agaric hat can be washed off by heavy rain, a pale toad cap, cut off at the very top, does not allow to notice the ring.

For children, many mushrooms are much more dangerous than for adults, so the use of even “good” mushrooms by children should be limited.

Fungi can be dangerous, as accumulators of toxic substances (heavy metals, pesticides, radionuclides).

In severe poisoning with mushrooms, you must call a doctor.

Before the doctor arrives, the patient is put to bed, gastric lavage is carried out: give a plentiful drink (4-5 cups of boiled water at room temperature, drink in small sips) and cause vomiting, pressing a finger or a smooth object on the root of the tongue. To remove the poison from the intestine, immediately after washing the stomach, a laxative is given and an enema is given.

To clarify the diagnosis, all uneaten mushrooms are preserved.

Treatment for mushroom poisoning depends on their type. Pale grebe poisoning is accompanied by vomiting and dehydration , after gastric lavage exchange blood transfusion , hemodialysis , intravenous glucose with insulin are carried out, and atropine subcutaneously in case of respiratory failure ^[1] .

Among mushrooms, deadly poisonous species are found, that is, they can cause poisoning with a fatal outcome, even with a small amount of mushrooms eaten. Deadly poisonous species are:

• Pale Grebe ( Amanita phalloides )
• Spring Grebe ( Amanita verna )
• Amanita smelly ( Amanita virosa )
• Amanita ocreata
• Galerina edged ( Galerina marginata )
• Whitish talker ( Clitocybe dealbata ) ( Сlitocybe candicans )
• Mountain spider web ( Cortinarius orellanus )
• Beautiful Cobweb ( Cortinarius speciosissimus ) ( Cortinarius rubellus )
• Rod Blade, or Helvella ( Helvella St. Am. )
• Entoloma poisonous ( Entoloma lividum )
• Entholoma pushed ( Entholoma rhodopolium )
• Patuillard fiberglass ( Inocybe patouillardii )
• Grungy Umbrella ( Lepiota aspera )
• Lepiota brown red ( Lepiota brunneoincarnata )
• Chestnut Lepiota ( Lepiota castanea )
• Thyroid Umbrella ( Lepiota clypeolaria )
• Umbrella comb ( Lepiota cristata )
• A fleshy-reddish umbrella ( Lepiota helveola )
• Puffy Silverfish ( Lepiota ventriosospora )

The toxicity of certain species of fungi is not well understood at present, and source data are often contradictory. This primarily relates to lines and false honey mushrooms, the toxicity of which depends on the area of ​​growth. However, the toxins contained in them: in the lines - gyromitrin, and in some types of false honey mushrooms - phallus and amatoxins (pale toadstool toxins) - are deadly.

National signs, "allowing to identify poisonous mushrooms", are based on a variety of misconceptions and do not allow to judge the dangers of mushrooms:

• Poisonous mushrooms have an unpleasant odor , and edible ones have a pleasant odor (the smell of pale toadstool is almost identical to the smell of champignons, although according to some, the pale grebe has no smell at all)
• Worms (insect larvae) are not found in poisonous mushrooms (delusion)
• All mushrooms at a young age are edible (pale grebe is deadly poisonous at any age)
• Silver objects in the broth of a poisonous mushroom blacken (misconception)
• The onion or garlic head turns brown when cooking with poisonous mushrooms (confusing)
• Poisonous mushrooms cause souring of milk (confusing)

The prejudice of a clear distinction between edible and poisonous mushrooms was reflected in the herbariums of the 16th - 17th centuries . The Great Herbarium ( England , 1526 ) provides this description:

The principle of "edibility or inedibility" also formed the basis of the first scientific classifications, for example, the classification of K. Klusius (1601).

Phalloidin Poisoning

It occurs when some amanitic mushrooms are consumed, such as pale grebe, smelly fly agaric, or spring grebe. The following highly toxic substances were found in the pulp of these mushrooms:

• fallin
• phalloidin
• several forms of amanitine

Fallin is neutralized by boiling, while the rest of the poisons are resistant to heat treatment and are not removed.

Phalloidin begins to cause profound changes in the liver cells shortly after eating, however, the first symptoms occur within 6-24 hours, sometimes after two days. Poisoning begins with severe abdominal pain, indomitable vomiting, severe sweating and diarrhea, and body temperature decreases. In severe cases (and almost all such poisonings are severe!), Kidney and heart failure begins, coma and death ensue. Poisoning can last up to twenty days.

Reliable treatment methods do not exist, even with timely medical care, up to 70% of such poisonings are fatal. Successful treatment can only be achieved if the diagnosis is quickly established (before the onset of symptoms), anti-phalloid serum and thioctic acid are used for treatment.

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  Death cap

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  Amanita is smelly

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  Galerina bordered

Aurellan poisoning or paraphalloid syndrome

Very severe poisoning, often fatal. Symptoms of it are similar to the symptoms of phalloidin poisoning. It is caused by the heat-resistant toxin orellanine , which is found in mushrooms such as the mountain cobweb and some small lepiotas , for example, in a fleshy-reddish umbrella .

Orellanin is especially insidious in that it has an unusually large latent period of action - the first signs of poisoning appear after a few days or even weeks. This makes it very difficult both diagnosis and timely treatment.

The first manifestation is the appearance of insatiable thirst, then headaches, pains in the abdomen and kidneys, a feeling of coldness in the limbs. Death can occur as a result of irreversible kidney damage.

The mushrooms that cause this poisoning usually do not attract the attention of mushroom pickers, so cases of poisoning are rare.

Red and panther fly agaric poisoning

It may be accompanied by various types of symptoms, since these fungi vary greatly in the content of several poisons. Most often, poisoning is caused by muscarine , muscaridine (mycoatropine) and bufotenin . In the case of the predominance of muscarine and bufotenin, the main symptoms of poisoning are disorders of the nervous system, accompanied by delirium , hallucinations , hysteria, and severe drowsiness. Muscaridin causes gastrointestinal upsets with abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, salivation, anuria , and a slowing of the heartbeat. Symptoms usually appear after 1-2 hours, so timely medical assistance in the form of gastric lavage and symptomatic support of the nervous system and heart is possible.

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  Amanita muscaria

Muscarin poisoning

There are mushrooms that contain only muscarin and do not contain other poisons. These include some types of fibrils and talkers (Clitocybe). Poisoning with these fungi manifests itself after 1-2 hours, for muscarinic syndrome is characterized by increased salivation, sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, bradycardia , a slight narrowing of the pupils. In severe cases, collapse occurs, respiratory failure, pulmonary edema .

First aid consists in removing the poison from the gastrointestinal tract (gastric lavage, intake of adsorbents ). Atropine and other M-anticholinergics are used as an antidote . There may also be indications for the use of adrenergic agonists or glucocorticoids . ^[3]

Gelwell mushroom poisoning

It can be caused by different types of lines , the use of improperly prepared dishes from morels mushrooms or their excessive consumption. The active principle is a number of substances called gyromitrins . These poisons may be partially (in morels) or completely (for individual copies of lines) heat-resistant. Gyromitrins have a hemolytic effect, the symptoms of poisoning are an increase in hemoglobin in the blood, jaundice , vomiting, diarrhea and severe drowsiness.

According to the NAMA ( North Amarica Micological Assoiation ), gyromitrin is contained (or may be contained under certain conditions) in the following mushrooms:

• Gyromitra esculenta
• Gyromitra ambigua
• Gyromitra infula
• In some other species of Gyromitra, especially G. montanum, G. gigas, G. fastigiata (= brunnea), G. californica, G. sphaerospora
• As well as many related ascomycetes, such as some species of Helvella, Verpa and Cudonia spp .

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  The line is ordinary

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  Autumn line

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  Morel present

Hallucinogen poisoning

Most studied as hallucinogenic - fungi of the genus Psilocybe , as an active principle, they contain psilocin and psilocybin . There is also information about the hallucinogenic properties of some fungi from the genera Panaeolus ) and Conocybe . The substances of these fungi are classified as psychotomimetics or psychodysleptics - causing mental disorders . Poisoning is accompanied by a rapid decrease in blood pressure , severe sweating, dilated pupils, there is a feeling of intoxication and a breakdown. Soon signs of severe psychosis with hallucinations appear, ideas about space and time are distorted, there may be depressive states , sometimes leading to suicide ^[4] .

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  Psilocybe is semi-lanceolate

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  Psilocybe mexican

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  Paneolus moth

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  Konotsibe ryegrassovaya

Dung poisoning

These mushrooms are eaten as conditionally edible, however, if some types of alcohol are consumed, dangerous poisoning can occur ^[5] . You can also get poisoned if you take alcohol within 1-2 days after eating this mushroom.

Signs of poisoning: anxiety, redness of the face, slowing of the pulse and pain in the intestines . Usually the syndrome lasts 2-3 days.

The active principle ( cooprin ^[6] ) inhibits the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase , thereby delaying the metabolism of alcohol at the stage of formation of acetic aldehyde , which has a toxic effect.

Gastrointestinal poisoning

Typical gastrointestinal symptoms can be caused by many fungi, which are usually considered weakly poisonous, as well as conditionally edible if they are improperly cooked. Such poisoning can also occur with the use of old, overripe mushrooms, or stored for a long time in inappropriate conditions.

Symptoms appear after a few hours in the form of abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and fever, in severe cases accompanied by convulsions and loss of consciousness. Usually, poisoning disappears after a few days, but can cause serious complications, especially in children and the elderly.

The most famous poisonous intestinal fungi:

• Satanic mushroom
• Tiger rowing
• Giant rose-colored plate , or tin entoloma and other types of rose-colored plates

Edible mushrooms:

• Speckled oak
• Olive brown oak
• Many species of the genus lactarius
• Some russula

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  Satanic mushroom

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  Tiger rowing

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  Giant Rose Plate

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  Speckled oak

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  Olive brown oak

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  Pink pink

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  Valui

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  Russula blackening

The accumulation of heavy metals

Accumulation of radionuclides

Fungi infected with cesium-137 and other radionuclides are also a danger, primarily as a result of Chernobyl fallout , emissions and explosions at the Mayak nuclear plant, emissions from nuclear power plants . In 2009, Rospotrebnadzor published data on mushrooms in the Leningrad Region, the content of cesium-137 in which is significantly higher than the norm ^[7] : up to 1390 Bq / kg (in Kingisepp district ) with the maximum permissible level of cesium-137 in fresh mushrooms 500 Bq / kg (according to Russian ^[8] and Ukrainian legislation) and 370 Bq / kg (according to Belarusian legislation ^[7] ). Published studies show that near the Leningrad NPP the level of mushroom pollution is much higher ^[9] .

According to the degree of accumulation of cesium-137 (cesium), edible mushrooms are divided into four groups ^[10] :

1. weakly accumulating (safer): oyster mushroom , champignon , pearl raincoat , variegated fungus , honey agarics ;
2. medium-accumulating: boletus , boletus , gray rowing , common chanterelle , porcini mushroom ;
3. highly accumulating: russula , milkwort, greenfinch;
4. radiocaesium accumulators (the most dangerous): oily fish , mushrooms , pig , bitter , Polish mushroom .

Radiation is more active in mushrooms with developed mycelium. The concentration of radionuclides in mushroom caps is 1.5–2 times higher than in the legs, especially for mushrooms with a well-developed stem (porcini mushroom, boletus, boletus, Polish mushroom). Reducing the content of cesium-137 in mushrooms can be achieved by boiling them for 30-60 minutes in salt water with the addition of vinegar or citric acid with a 2-3-fold change of broth. Before collected mushrooms must be cleaned of moss, litter, soil, and for some mushrooms, peel off the hat. Also, to reduce the radionuclide content, the mushrooms are soaked during the day, several times boiled by draining the water, washing the mushrooms.

• Mycotoxins
• List of Deadly Poisonous Mushrooms
• Mushroom hunting
• Edible mushrooms
• Canning