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A retrospective study of mushroom poisoning in Iran

Loghman-Hakim Hospital Poison Center, Faculty of Medicine, Shaheed-Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

S Shadnia

Loghman-Hakim Hospital Poison Center, Faculty of Medicine, Shaheed-Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

H Efricheh

Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

A Mandegary

Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

H Hassanian-Moghadam

Loghman-Hakim Hospital Poison Center, Faculty of Medicine, Shaheed-Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

M Abdollahi

Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14155-6451, Iranmohammad.abdollahi{at}utoronto.ca

The objective of this study was to describe the pattern of mushroom poisoning in adults admitted to the Loghman Hakim Hospital Poison Center from 1992 to 2002. All patients 12 years of age were included in the study. The frequency of mushroom poisoning with respect to age, sex, season, reason, place of residence, latent phase, clinical and laboratory findings, treatment, and outcome of patients was investigated. Of the 72 421 poisoning cases admitted to Loghman-Hakim Hospital Poison Center from 1992 to 2002, only 37 were poisoned by consumption of toxic mushrooms. As some of the patients' files were incomplete, only 25 files were included in the study. Of this number, 68% were male. The patients' age ranged between 12 and 65 years, with a mean of 31 years of age. All cases were accidental and mostly from Tehran (36%) and the northern provinces (rainy woodlands) of Iran (32%). Autumn was the most common season for poisoning with a frequency of 80%. The latent phase of poisonings was between 0.5 and 12 hours. The most frequently reported symptoms were vomiting (84%), nausea (60%), abdominal pain (60%) and diarrhea (40%). Jaundice was observed in 44% of cases, with a 50% rate of hepatic encephalopathy. A total of 66% of patients were discharged and the duration range of hospitalization was 1-12 days.

In conclusion, people should be more informed of the dangers posed by wild mushrooms. Training of physicians and nurses in the accurate diagnosis and management of patients poisoned with poisonous mushrooms would improve the rate of survival.

Key Words: human • Iran • mushroom • poisoning

Human & Experimental Toxicology, Vol. 24, No. 12, 609-613 (2005)
DOI: 10.1191/0960327105ht572oa


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