Poisoning with Amanita phalloides (Vaill. ex Fr.) Link - 25-years retrospective analysis in Varna region, Bulgaria

Abstract

Fungal intoxications are important in the ethology of acute exogenous intoxications and A. phalloides mushrooms intoxications are the most important for clinical toxicology. Poisonings with A. phalloides mushrooms are infrequent, but they have high lethality due to their high toxicity. A retrospective analysis of poisonings with A. phalloides mushrooms in Varna region for a period of 25 years (1991-2015) was conducted and 147 patients have been registered. The frequency relative to all hospitalised patients with acute poisoning is 0.8%. Such intoxications are more common in males and the ratio of men to women is 1.62:1. The largest number of intoxications was registered in the age group of 45 to 60 years - 62 (42.2%). All intoxications occured following oral ingestion of A. phalloides mushrooms by mistake instead of edible mushrooms such as field mushroom - Agaricus campestris L. A lethal outcome was registered in 25 patients (17%). A. phalloides mushrooms account for 11.4% of the lethality in acute poisonings.