Death cap mushroom: poisoning hazard not only for refugees
All content is checked by medical journalists.In the last few weeks, an alarming number of refugees have poisoned themselves by consuming leaf mushrooms. But local citizens also accidentally eat the highly poisonous mushrooms again and again. Now a German mushroom picker has also died of the poisoning. Another mushroom collector urgently needs a liver transplant, reports the Hannover Medical School (MHH).
In response to current events, the Hannover Medical School (MHH) is now also warning German mushroom pickers of the fatal risk of confusion.
The death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides) is one of the most poisonous mushrooms in Germany. It is responsible for 90 percent of all fatal mushroom poisoning, because it looks astonishingly similar to many edible mushrooms, especially when young. In addition, death cap mushrooms are particularly dangerous because their poison does not take effect until several hours after consumption. At this point it has already spread throughout the body.
Destroyed liver
It is enough if a single death cap mushroom has cheated among the edible ones. Then symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea occur after the mushroom meal - similar to a gastrointestinal infection. After a day or two, the liver is damaged and blood clotting and kidney dysfunction can occur. In the worst case, the liver stops working so that only a liver transplant can save the patient's life.
Effective poster campaign
After 17 refugees had to be treated in one night at the Hannover Medical School last week, the clinic launched a poster campaign in seven languages that draws asylum seekers' attention to the danger - with success: “Fortunately, the situation with the poisoned refugees has turned out well relaxed. In the past 48 hours, we only had to take over a refugee with a capillary mushroom poisoning from another clinic, ”says Prof. Michael Manns from the MHH.
Always have mushrooms examined
Basically, as a mushroom collector, it is a good idea to have all mushrooms found examined by a mushroom expert before consumption. If you feel unwell after a mushroom meal, you have to act quickly: “If there is a suspicion of mushroom poisoning, an emergency doctor should be called urgently. To detect the fungus poison and thus to facilitate diagnosis, the remains of the fungus and the vomit should be kept, ”explains the doctor.
The green capillary mushroom grows in deciduous and mixed deciduous forests from August to October. It can be recognized by a three to 15 centimeter wide hat that is bell-shaped to umbrella-like. There are white slats on the underside. The color of the toadstool is green, green-yellow or white.
The cone-cap mushroom, which can be confused with the meadow mushroom, is also extremely dangerous. However, there is an important distinguishing feature of all cap mushrooms: the eponymous tuber at the base of the mushroom. Therefore, it should always be examined carefully before harvesting, even if it is deeper in the forest floor. (cf)
Source: Press release Hannover Medical School, 23.09.2015
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