Toadstools collectors suffered liver failure

Toadstools: Collectors suffered from liver failure. New dialysis procedure should avoid liver transplantation.

Two men from Rheine hover in mortal danger. After consuming highly toxic wild mushrooms, both suffered liver failure. They had confused the conical tuberous mushroom with the forest and meadow mushrooms and eaten.

The high season for wild mushrooms has begun. The warm and humid weather lets the mushrooms sprout in the forest. But who does not know exactly, can quickly go into mortal danger. That's what happened to two men from Rheine. They confused the highly poisonous tuberous mushroom with mushrooms. Both men (24 and 55 years old) suffered acute liver failure and were admitted to the University Hospital Münster. Both mushroom pickers were still lucky, because the fast medical care their lives could be saved. Nevertheless, according to the doctors, both are in mortal danger.

With a new dialysis procedure, doctors are fighting for the lives of patients. The newly developed membrane technology is intended to clean the toxins of the fungus out of the body. In the course of the next 24 hours will show itself to make the procedure successful and a liver transplantation can be avoided, so the physicians. The doctors warn against eating mushrooms that are not known very well.

According to information from the Poison Information Center (GIZ-Nord), the number of fungal poisonings has risen sharply. Twice as many requests for actual or perceived poisoning are sent to the center compared to the previous year. The number of suspected cases is usually about 300 per mushroom season, this year it could be around 600, as GIZ reports.

The first signs of poisoning are general malaise, nausea and vomiting. If the symptoms go away, that is no reason to assume that fungus poisoning is not present. Because these are also typical signs of poisoning. In any case, a doctor should be notified. Only a quick medical care can save the lives of the poisoned patients. (sb, 04.10.2010)

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Health insurance IKK classified toadstool as edible
Mushroom poisoning increases dramatically
Naturopathy: mushrooms as medicine
Mushroom poisoning: collectors poisoned themselves in Berlin

Picture: Rita Köhler