Acute mushroom poisoning : a report of 41 cases

A retrospective analysis of all mushroom poisoning cases admitted in Tansen Mission Hospital in the period of two months of the year 2005 was done. Forty-one cases were admitted during that period, among which only 34 case records could be found for analysis. Female (58.82%) outnumbered the male and 15 (44.11%) of the cases were from pediatric age group. The poisoning was secondary to consumption of different species of Amanita variety including the most poisonous Amanita phalloides. The commonest symptoms at the time of presentation in both adults and children was gastrointestinal (diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain). There were 12 mortalities and they died at the median interval of 3.5 days after admission. The main cause of death was acute liver failure and acute renal failure. Relative risk of having a bad outcome was found to be higher when the mushroom was consumed with alcohol when compared with non-alcoholics. High mortality was probably due to late presentation and only the conservative management in all the cases. Increased community and medical awareness is needed to reduce the frequency, morbidity and mortality of mushroom poisoning