Number of mushroom poisonings increased sharply

Mushroom season: poison information center has its hands full

07/10/2013

In the months of August to October is mushroom season and in the meadows and forests are again a lot of mushroom friends on the way. The danger of getting intoxicated with mushrooms is not to be underestimated. Especially inexperienced people should first inform themselves in detail, which fungus species are suitable for consumption, because the number of fungal poisoning has increased sharply.

In September alone, there were about 80 suspected cases in northern Germany, said on Friday a spokesman for the Poison Information Center North (GIZ North) in Göttingen, which is responsible for Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and Bremen.

This is a cause for concern, as there are significantly more inquiries than in recent years, and the high volume has led to bottlenecks in the laboratories. The analysts were unprepared for such an onslaught. In three people, the poisoning even life-threatening level. These were hospitalized after consuming a mushroom dish with severe symptoms. The analysis of the Göttingen toxin experts revealed that the three had eaten the extremely toxic green tuber-fungus.

Knollenblätterpilz
The green tuberous toadstool forms fruit bodies structured in hat and stem with the typical appearance of a agaric fungus. The hat is about 5 to 15 inches wide and smooth, its surface is slightly sticky when wet. His venom affects mainly the liver. In severe cases, even an organ transplant can help save lives.

Symptoms of poisoning
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are the typical signs of intoxication of the tuberous toadstool. After eight to ten hours, the symptoms become noticeable. (Fr)

Picture: Fritz Zühlke