Scleroderma mushroom poisoning in France (2000–2022): clinical patterns and early signals of a possible emerging mycotoxic syndrome
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Mushroom poisoning caused by species of the genus Scleroderma (“earthballs”) is generally considered benign and limited to mild gastrointestinal symptoms. However, recent clinical observations suggest a wider spectrum of toxicity. This retrospective study analyzed 134 Scleroderma -related cases reported to French Poison Control Centers between 2000 and 2022, representing the largest national series to date. Most exposures were accidental, often due to confusion with edible puffballs or truffles. While the majority of patients remained asymptomatic or experienced only minor gastrointestinal effects, nine cases (7%) were of moderate or severe intensity. In addition to vomiting and abdominal pain, several patients presented neurological symptoms such as vertigo, transient consciousness disorders, or myoclonia, as well as cardiovascular abnormalities including hypotension, bradycardia, or tachyarrhythmia. Similar cases have been described in Germany and Japan, with no co-ingestion of other toxic species. Although the responsible compounds remain unidentified, the combination of digestive, neurological, and cardiovascular manifestations, together with geographically dispersed occurrence, meets several defining features of emerging mycotoxic syndromes. These findings suggest that Scleroderma poisoning may represent a new toxidromic entity deserving further toxicological and biochemical characterization.
Source: Mycological Progress
Authors: Chloé Bruneau, Emilie Arnaud, Jérémy Lecot, Anne Landreau, Gaël Le Roux, Nathalie Paret, Cécile Chevallier, Anthony Facile, Aurore Czerwiec, Ramy Azzouz, Anne Garat, Patrick Nisse, Philippe Chauveau, Géraldine Meyer, Morgane Cellier, Nicolas Delcourt, Florent Battefort, Alix-Marie Pouget, Camille Paradis, Audrey Nardon, Magali Labadie, Romain Torrents, Julien Reynoard, Nicolas Simon, Céline Moulut, Marion Evrard, Weniko Care, Hervé Laborde-Casterot, Jérôme Langrand
Institutions: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Angers, Université d'Angers, Inserm, École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail, Université de Rennes, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Physique des Cellules et Cancers, Université de Lille, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Université de Bordeaux, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, Centre Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire de Nancy, Université Paris Cité, Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Fernand-Widal
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,890
OpenAlex ID: W7124937839