Clinicopathological Aspects of Death due to Wild Mushroom Poisoning: An Autopsy Report

Abstract

Mushrooms are widely cultivated and used as a source of diet and commerce; however, unfortunately, some wild mushrooms are highly toxic to humans. Although the poisonous mushrooms have a characteristic physical appearance, sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between the poisonous and nonpoisonous variety even by the experts. We report a case of a 23-year-old married female who mistakenly harvested and consumed wild mushrooms along with her family members and subsequently died on the 5th-day postingestion. Due to the medicolegal implications, a forensic autopsy was conducted in this case. Here, we discuss clinical findings along with detailed autopsy findings of this case, including histopathology examination.