Mushroom poisoning Collectors poisoned themselves in Berlin

Mushroom poisoning in Berlin: collectors mistook mushrooms and poisoned themselves with the dangerous tuberous mushroom.

(05.09.2010) Eight people had poisoned themselves with the highly toxic tuber-leaf fungus at the weekend. Even a minimal dose of the highly toxic fungus can lead to death. Mushroom pickers had confused the cone-hued tuberous mushroom due to the great similarity to meadow mushroom and eaten.

As a spokeswoman for the Berlin Charité announced, currently none of the eight patients admitted to hospital is in mortal danger. Nobody needs to be treated in intensive care. But three poisoned people are still at a regular clinic and need to be treated further. Patients were independently admitted in different groups. They suffered from the consumption of mushrooms in severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It turned out that the patients consumed the tuberous toadstool.

Even a small portion of tuberous mushroom can lead to acute life failure in humans and ultimately death. The Kegelhütige Knollenblätterpilz can be mistaken, especially in the early growth station with the white mushroom. The poison of the fungus damages the liver and kidneys in a special way and if recognized too late the situation can no longer be treated. Therefore, sufferers who suddenly feel unwell after eating mushrooms they have collected should be admitted to the hospital as an acute case, even if the symptoms disappear after some time. Because that is also a typical symptom of poisoning. Particularly critical was the state of health of a 48-year-old female patient, who was in mortal danger last week. Before mushrooms are eaten, be sure to visit mushroom advice centers that can select the mushrooms. (Sb)

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