Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction and objective Mushrooms have remained popular for years. The positive effects they have on the human body are increasingly emphasized. Despite the increase in knowledge among mushroom pickers, Polish hospitals still admit patients with symptoms of poisoning. This study analyzes poisoning caused by the consumption of mushrooms in adults, based on hospitalization records in the Clinical Department of Toxicology and Cardiology of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński Regional Specialist Hospital in Lublin. The aim of the study is to assess whether the problem of mushroom poisoning is increasing. Material and methods This study had a retrospective character. Medical records of 1,539 adult patients hospitalized because of intoxication were analyzed. Of these, a group of 14 patients with mushroom poisoning was identified. Results Of the patients hospitalized in 2021–2022, 14 were diagnosed with mushroom poisoning. Among them, 9 were male (64.29%) and 5 were female (35.71%). The age range of the study subjects was 25–92 years. The patients lived mainly in rural areas (9 individuals). The majority (64.29%) had collected the mushrooms on their own, and in two cases there was collective poisoning. The highest number of cases was recorded in the summer-autumn months, with most incidents occurring in September. Symptoms usually appeared between 7 and 12 hours after ingestion. The average length of hospital stay was 7.1 days. No deaths were reported in the study group. Conclusions A decrease in the number of poisonings was observed. It is necessary to raise awareness about the consequences of consuming poisonous mushrooms and how to identify them. It is important to highlight the safety of eating cultivated mushrooms.
Source: Lekarz Wojskowy
DOI: 10.53301/lw/202506
Language: English
Subfield: Hepatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4411902161