by Marcy Kennedy

Created on: April 14, 2009

THE SYMPTOMS OF MUSHROOM POISONING

Whether you are an experienced mushroom gatherer, a health food enthusiast, a camper who enjoys the fun of turning to nature for food, or a parent whose child plays where mushrooms may grow, you should be aware of the more common symptoms of mushroom poisoning.

The most poisonous variety of wild mushroom is the Amanita phalloides or "death cap." Ingestion results in death in twenty to thirty percent of adult cases even with immediate treatment and in fifty percent of cases for children ten-years-old and under. The onset of symptoms occurs in stages.

Stage One begins anywhere from six to twenty-four hours after eating the Amanita and includes abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Because this stage can last up to twenty-four hours, it often results in the secondary symptoms of dehydration and low blood pressure (hypotension).

Stage Two brings on a false sense of security as the symptoms of Stage One subside. During this temporary remission, poison victims can easily believe that the worst is past and chock their earlier symptoms up to some other non-life-threatening ailment, such as the flu. Stage Two generally lasts one to two days. Kidney and liver damage has already begun.

Stage Three begins with liver and kidney failure. Fifty to ninety percent of poisoning victims who do not receive treatment before this stage will die. Other symptoms may include internal bleeding, weakness, and paralysis.

Mushrooms in the Cortinarius genus contain the toxin orellanine. Poisoning from these mushrooms is harder to diagnose because of the delay of onset of symptoms anywhere from three to twenty days after ingestion. The resulting confusion is compounded by indistinct symptoms, which include kidney pain, thirst, fatigue, headaches, and vomiting.

Mushrooms containing the toxin muscarine (such as Jack o' Lantern mushrooms and others in the genus Omphalotus) cause an entirely different set of symptoms. In high doses, this toxin leads to respiratory failure, but, in lower doses, results in sweating, salivation, tearing, blurred vision, and heart palpitations.

The poisonous mushrooms whose ingestion cause hallucinations, enhanced visual and auditory perception, feelings of euphoria, sleepiness, or heightened anxiety and fear are usually the least toxic. Those who eat these mushrooms generally recover on their own within a few hours and do not need medical treatment unless they have consumed an abnormally large quantity.

Because of the different toxins potentially contained in mushrooms, specific symptoms will vary based on the variety of mushroom. Consequently, if you suspect mushroom poisoning, call a poison helpline, contact your doctor, or go to an emergency room immediately. The quicker you receive treatment, the higher your chances of survival.

Be prepared to describe the mushroom, and if possible, bring a sample.

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