Abstract

In the autumn of 1988 an outbreak of mushroom poisoning occurred in the surroundings of Zagreb. In less than 3 week period about 140 cases of poisoning were recorded, 17 of whom were children treated at the Department of Pediatrics. Nine children developed gastrointestinal and 18 phalloid syndrome. In the differential diagnosis of each gastroenterocolitis, mushroom poisoning should be taken into consideration, especially during warm and wet summer and autumn. The detection and identification of the poison is the main principle in diagnostics and medical treatment of each poisoning, thus of mushroom poisoning. Incriminated mushroom was identified in 21 of 27 patients (77.8%). Timely application of general therapeutic procedures, especially thorough gastric lavage in each patient, and application of plasmapheresis in case of Amanita phalloides poisoning have been found effective in reducing lethality and in rapid clinical recovery. Of the total number of 18 Amanita phalloides poisoned children, 4 died which is a lethality rate of 22%. In health education it should be pointed out that there are no simple methods for distinguishing edible mushrooms from poisonous ones.