Clinicopathological features of fatal mushroom poisoning: a 10-year retrospective autopsy-based study.

Abstract

Purpose: Mushroom poisoning is a persistent public health concern with significant mortality, particularly in regions where wild mushroom foraging is a cultural practice. This study aimed to characterize the clinicopathological features of fatal mushroom poisonings through a 10-year retrospective autopsy-based review from Türkiye.

Methods: We reviewed 32 fatal cases of mushroom poisoning investigated by the Council of Forensic Medicine between 2013 and 2022. Cases were analyzed for demographic patterns, seasonal and geographic distribution, clinical presentation, autopsy findings, and histopathological features. Data were extracted from forensic reports, toxicology, and histology records, and evaluated statistically.

Results: Victims ranged from 2 to 82 years, with a bimodal age distribution affecting children and elderly adults. The majority (81%) occurred in rural areas and during autumn (53%). Most patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms; 47% required mechanical ventilation and 19% were evaluated for liver transplantation. Histologically, 53% showed hepatic necrosis, with massive or submassive patterns observed in 34% of cases, consistent with amatoxin-induced injury. Acute tubular necrosis was present in 25%, and disseminated intravascular coagulation was noted in 19%. Autolysis occasionally limited interpretation, characteristic features of amatoxin toxicity were consistently documented.

Conclusions: This study provides one of the most comprehensive autopsy-based analyses of fatal mushroom poisonings in Türkiye. The findings highlight the importance of early recognition, preventive interventions targeting high-risk populations and seasons, and the critical role of forensic investigation in establishing cause of death. Multidisciplinary strategies integrating clinical, forensic, and toxicological data are essential to reducing mushroom-related mortality.