Muscarine Mushroom Toxicity Treatment & Management

  • Author: Peter A Chyka, PharmD, FAACT, DABAT; Chief Editor: Timothy E Corden, MD   more...
 
Updated: May 27, 2011
 

Medical Care

  • Symptomatic patients may be treated with supportive measures.
  • The entire episode usually subsides in 6-8 hours; some symptoms may take up 24 hours to fully resolve.
  • Consider using atropine when excessive bronchial secretions compromise breathing and cause shortness of breath.
  • Monitor with pulse oximetry.
  • Be prepared to support the airway and perform orotracheal suctioning if needed.[2]
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Consultations

  • Consult a mycologist to assist with mushroom identification. A mycologist can be contacted through the local poison center (in the United States, call 800-222-1222), a mycology club, the North American Mycological Association, a botanical garden, or local university.
  • Consultation with a medical toxicologist may be helpful, if available.
  • Consult a psychiatrist when the ingestion may have been a suicidal gesture.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Peter A Chyka, PharmD, FAACT, DABAT  Professor and Executive Associate Dean, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Peter A Chyka, PharmD, FAACT, DABAT is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology, American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

William Banner Jr, MD, PhD  Medical Director, Oklahoma Poison Control Center; Clinical Professor of Pharmacy, Oklahoma University College of Pharmacy-Tulsa; Adjunct Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

William Banner Jr, MD, PhD, is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Medical Toxicology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Michael E Mullins, MD  Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine

Michael E Mullins, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Johnson & Johnson stock ownership None; Savient Pharmaceuticals stock ownership None

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Jeffrey R Tucker, MD  Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Connecticut and Connecticut Children's Medical Center

Disclosure: Merck Salary Employment

Paul D Petry, DO, FACOP, FAAP  Consulting Staff, Freeman Pediatric Care, Freeman Health System

Paul D Petry, DO, FACOP, FAAP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Osteopathy, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians, and American Osteopathic Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Timothy E Corden, MD  Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Co-Director, Policy Core, Injury Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin; Associate Director, PICU, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin

Timothy E Corden, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, Phi Beta Kappa, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and Wisconsin Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

  1. Benjamin DR. Muscarine poisoning. In: Mushrooms: Poisons and Panaceas. New York, NY: WH Freeman; 1995:340-50.

  2. Poisindex managements, mushrooms - muscarine / histamine. In: Poisindex System, internet database online [database online]. Greenwood Village (CO): Thomson Reuters (Healthcare); May 15, 2011.

  3. Berger KJ, Guss DA. Mycotoxins revisited: Part I. J Emerg Med. Jan 2005;28(1):53-62. [Medline].

  4. Berger KJ, Guss DA. Mycotoxins revisited: Part II. J Emerg Med. Feb 2005;28(2):175-83. [Medline].

  5. Goldfrank LR. Mushrooms. In: Nelson LS, Lewin NA, Howland MA, Hoffman RS, Goldfrank LR, Flomenbaum NE. Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies. 9th. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2011:1522-36.

  6. Diaz JH. Evolving global epidemiology, syndromic classification, general management, and prevention of unknown mushroom poisonings. Crit Care Med. Feb 2005;33(2):419-26. [Medline].

  7. Diaz JH. Syndromic diagnosis and management of confirmed mushroom poisonings. Crit Care Med. Feb 2005;33(2):427-36. [Medline].

  8. Bronstein AC, Spyker DA, Cantilena Jr LR, Green JL, Rumack BH, Griffin SL. 2009 Annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS): 27th annual report. Clin Toxicol. 2010;48:979-1178. [Full Text].

  9. Pauli JL, Foot CL. Fatal muscarinic syndrome after eating wild mushrooms. Med J Aust. Mar 21 2005;182(6):294-5. [Medline].

  10. NAMA (North American Mycological Association). Annual reports. North American Mycological Association, Toxicology Section. Available at http://www.namyco.org/toxicology. Accessed May 17, 2011.

  11. West PL, Lindgren J, Horowitz BZ. Amanita smithiana mushroom ingestion: a case of delayed renal failure and literature review. J Med Toxicol. Mar 2009;5(1):32-8. [Medline].

  12. Fischbein CB, Mueller GM, Leacock PR, Wahl MS, Aks SE. Digital imaging: a promising tool for mushroom identification. Acad Emerg Med. Jul 2003;10(7):808-11. [Medline].

  13. Beuhler MC, Sasser HC, Watson WA. The outcome of North American pediatric unintentional mushroom ingestions with various decontamination treatments: an analysis of 14 years of TESS data. Toxicon. 2009;53:437-43.

  14. [Best Evidence] [Guideline] Chyka PA, Seger D, Krenzelok EP, Vale JA. Position paper: Single-dose activated charcoal. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2005;43(2):61-87. [Medline]. [Full Text].

 
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Inocybe geophylla.
Inocybe lacera.
Clitocybe dealbata.
Omphalotus olearius (jack o'lantern mushroom).
 
 
 
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