Mushroom poisoning increases dramatically

Mushroom poisoning is increasing dramatically this year. According to information from the poison information center, the number of poisonings due to poisonous fungi is expected to double.

(22.09.2010) The weather is growing mushrooms of all kinds. Lots of sun and rain are the ideal weather conditions to sprout mushrooms. But not only experienced collectors are looking for mushrooms in the woods, but just as many inexperienced ones. This year, the number of fungal poisonings will double, as the poison information center in Göttingen announced.

Currently, the ideal mushroom weather prevails. Moisture, mild temperatures and sun make the mushrooms grow. This attracts many inexperienced collectors. Many types of mushrooms are hard to distinguish. For example, the very poisonous Kegelhütige Knollenblätterpilz is very similar to the forest and meadows mushroom. Even a small amount of the poisonous tuberous mushroom can lead to acute life failure and ultimately death in humans.

According to information from the Poison Information Center (GIZ-Nord) in Göttingen, 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 about 600, as GIZ employee Martin Ebbecke reported.

As a reason, the center indicates that the favorable weather affects the fungal growth positively. There are masses of mushrooms and inexperienced collectors just collected everything. Most commonly, the mushroom pickers poison themselves with the highly poisonous tuberous mushroom. Already in August this year, a 69-year-old woman from Braunschweig had died from the consequences of fungal poisoning. The collector mistook mushrooms for the mushroom mushroom and ate. Other collectors from the north of Germany have been so heavily poisoned in the last week, so they now need a new liver. In Berlin last weekend, a total of eight people had been admitted to a hospital due to a fungal poisoning. The Poison Control therefore advises against all people from collecting mushrooms without knowledge.

The first symptoms of fungal poisoning can be nausea and nausea and vomiting. Anyone who feels such symptoms after eating mushrooms should definitely call an ambulance. Only with a fast medical care the health consequences of a mushroom poisoning can be reduced. A doctor should also be contacted if the symptoms ease again. Because that too can be a typical symptom of a fungus poisoning. The Poison Information Center is responsible for the federal states of Lower Saxony, Bremen, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. (Sb)

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Mushroom poisoning: collectors poisoned themselves in Berlin

Picture: Rita Köhler