Discover 7 Common Mushrooms Poisonous to Humans

Death Cap Mushroom: The World’s Deadliest Fungus

The death cap mushroom, Amanita phalloides, is responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide. Ingesting just half a cap of this mushroom can lead to a slow and painful death as its toxins attack the liver and kidneys.

The death cap mushroom is commonly found growing in forests, lawns, and gardens. It closely resembles edible mushrooms and has a pleasant odor, which leads to misidentification. Symptoms of poisoning appear 6-24 hours after ingestion and include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Without medical care, the toxins can cause liver failure, coma, and death within one week.

There is no antidote for death cap mushroom poisoning; the only treatment is preventing absorption of toxins, managing symptoms, and possibly Liver transplant in severe cases. Accidentally consuming poisonous mushrooms like the death cap highlight the dangers of foraging for wild mushrooms unless done with an expert. Proper identification skills and education on the differences between edible and poisonous mushroom species can help prevent tragic poisonings.

How to Identify the Destroying Angel Mushroom

The destroying angel mushroom, Amanita virosa, is another deadly fungus that is frequently mistaken for edible mushrooms. Proper identification is key to avoiding poisoning from this white-capped mushroom.

Some key features to distinguish A. virosa include:

•Pure white cap, gills, and stem: The cap, gills, and stem of the destroying angel are a pure, unblemished white. Look for any specimens with yellow, tan or brown colors, as they are not A. virosa.

•Sack-like cup at the base of the stem: The base of the destroying angel’s stem has a bag-like cup called a volva that covers the gills at first. The volva leaves a cup-like rim or ring on the base of the mature stem.

•Gills that remain white: The gills of A. virosa remain stark white as the mushroom matures. The gills of some edible white mushrooms will develop tan, pink or chocolate colors as they age.

•Solid white flesh: The flesh of the destroying angel should remain solid white when cut. Some edible white mushrooms will develop tan, watery or colorful spots on their cut flesh.

•GENERAL FEATURES OF THE AMANITA GENUS: The destroying angel shares some features with other poisonous Amanita mushrooms:

• Usually found in deciduous or mixed forests, especially under oak, birch, and pine trees
• Cap diameter of 3 to 8 inches with white scales or warts
• Fleshy cap and stem with thin fragile gills
• Base of stem slightly bulbous and prominently speckled
• Spore print white

WARNING: Do not rely on any one feature to identify mushrooms in the field. Always properly educate yourself on notable characteristics of both edible mushrooms and deadly poisonous varieties. Consider consulting an expert mushroom hunter or guidebook with color photos to verify identification. A. virosa and other Amanita poisonings can lead to fatal liver failure or death if misidentified and consumed.

The Symptoms and Treatment of Mushroom Poisoning

Ingesting poisonous mushrooms like the death cap or destroying angel can have deadly consequences if not treated quickly. While symptoms may appear within 15 minutes to 2 hours of consumption for some mushroom species, onset of symptoms for Amanita phalloides poisoning can take 6 hours up to 24 hours.

The initial symptoms of mushroom poisoning include:

• Nausea and vomiting: The ill person may experience repetitive vomiting and diarrhea which leads to dehydration.

• Abdominal cramping: Severe pain can occur due to inflammation of the digestive tract.

• Diarrhea: Watery, bloody diarrhea is a symptom of hemolytic uremic syndrome which can lead to kidney failure.

Without treatment, the toxins in death cap and destroying angel mushrooms cause life-threatening organ failure:

• Liver failure: Occurs 2-3 days after ingestion and becomes apparent from jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), coagulation problems, and coma. A liver transplant may be required to save the patient’s life at this stage.

• Kidney failure: Caused by the hemolytic uremic syndrome toxin which destroys red blood cells and kidneys. Dialysis is necessary to filter waste from the blood once kidneys shut down.

• Coma and death: The final stage without treatment is coma, brain damage, and cardiac arrest leading to death within 7 days of consumption.

The only treatment for mushroom poisoning is preventative care like induced vomiting, stomach pumping, and activated charcoal to absorb any toxins before they enter the bloodstream. Sadly, once a patient’s liver or kidneys start failing or they fall into a coma, survival chances decrease greatly without an organ transplant. A prompt call to emergency services for anyone showing symptoms of mushroom poisoning can mean the difference between life and death.

In summary, there are no antidotes for the toxins found in poisonous mushrooms. Rapid medical assessment and supportive treatment gives the best chance of survival. Prevention through education on proper mushroom identification and avoidance of foraging unknown wild mushrooms is the best way to stop these deadly poisonings from occurring.

What to Do If You Accidentally Ingest Poisonous Mushrooms

If you or someone you know has consumed wild mushrooms and experiences symptoms of poisoning, immediate emergency action needs to be taken for the best chance of survival and recovery:

1. Call emergency services (911 in the US) and communicate the details of the situation. Inform them of the mushroom species if known, quantity eaten, and symptoms that have appeared. Paramedics will be dispatched promptly to provide life-saving treatment.
2. Induce vomiting if possible unless emergency responders advise against it. Vomiting within 2 hours of ingestion can remove up to 60% of toxins before they are absorbed. To induce vomiting, give activated charcoal and 1-2 teaspoons of salt in a glass of warm water every 10 minutes until the ill person begins vomiting on their own.
3. Never eat more of the same mushrooms. The type of mushroom needs to be identified to properly treat poisoning and additional consumption will increase the severity. Save one intact mushroom for identification.
4. Administer activated charcoal, especially for poisonings from amanita mushrooms. Activated charcoal prevents absorption of toxins from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream. The recommended dose is 1 gram of activated charcoal per kilogram of body weight mixed with water, given every 4-6 hours.
5. Seek medical evaluation and hospital admission for a minimum of 3 to 5 days of close monitoring and treatment. Even if initial symptoms from poisoning have resolved, severe liver and kidney damage can appear days after the event. Aggressive supportive treatment like IV fluids, anti-nausea medication and other interventions will be provided to manage symptoms.

Early and aggressive treatment for poisonous mushroom ingestion is critical to survival and recovery. While outcomes can vary based on factors like quantity eaten, species of mushroom, and how quickly medical care was received, some individuals have recovered fully after consuming Amanita phalloides with proper supportive care. However, in many cases, liver or kidney transplants are required to save patients from fatal organ failure even with the best available treatment.

Education and awareness about proper identification of wild edible mushrooms versus poisonous species is key to preventing these potentially deadly poisonings from occurring. Unless you have extensive experience and expertise in mushroom foraging, it is never worth the risk to consume wild mushrooms.

The Risks and Benefits of Eating Wild Mushrooms

While wild mushrooms can be a delicious and nutritious food source for humans, there are significant risks to consider before foraging and consuming unknown species. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are over 100 species of mushrooms in North America that are poisonous to humans. The two deadliest groups are:

• Amanita: Responsible for over 90% of deaths from mushroom poisoning. The death cap and destroying angel mushrooms belong to this group.

• Galerina: Contains deadly toxins that cause liver, kidney and heart damage resulting in coma and death without treatment.

However, some of the potential benefits of wild mushrooms include:

• Nutrition: Edible mushrooms like chanterelles, morels, and porcini are high in B vitamins, copper, potassium, selenium and antioxidants. They are high in protein and low in calories, carbohydrates, fat and sodium.

• Unique flavor: The earthy, musky flavors of wild mushrooms are prized by gourmands and culinary enthusiasts. They are used by world-renowned chefs to create memorable dishes.

• Sustainable food source: Wild mushrooms are an abundant, renewable food source that can be harvested sustainably with no impact to the environment. They are not commercially cultivated like white button or portobello mushrooms found in grocery stores.

• Economic value: The global trade of wild mushrooms and mushroom products exceeds $50 billion USD annually. Harvesting and selling wild mushrooms provides crucial income and jobs in rural, impoverished parts of the world.

However, misidentification of poisonous mushrooms as edible ones is the most significant risk of gathering wild mushrooms. The physical similarities between some edible and poisonous species make identification challenging for amateur foragers. As the old forager’s adage goes: “there are old mushroom hunters, and bold mushroom hunters, but no old, bold mushroom hunters.”

In summary, while wild mushrooms have nutritional, culinary, and economic benefits, the risks far outweigh rewards for most people. Consuming poisonous mushrooms can lead to fatal consequences, no matter the benefits. For safe enjoyment of wild mushrooms, consult an expert mushroom hunter or mycologist and never eat a mushroom unless you have positively identified it as an edible species. Your life could depend on it.

The Top 3 Reasons Why People Get Poisoned by Mushrooms

The majority of poisonings and fatalities from consuming wild mushrooms are completely preventable. The top three reasons why people become poisoned include:

1. Poor Identification Skills: The inability to properly identify poisonous mushrooms from edible species is the leading cause of mushroom poisonings. With thousands of mushroom species, some edible and poisonous species look nearly identical. Foraging wild mushrooms requires extensive knowledge of notable features for each species to avoid disastrous mistakes.
2. Accidentally Picking Lookalike Species: Some edible and poisonous mushrooms share physical characteristics like cap color, shape, and texture making them easy to confuse. For example, the deadly Galerina marginata closely resembles the edible Armillaria mellea or honey mushroom. Without close examination, these two species are indistinguishable to amateur mushroom hunters.
3. Improper Cooking Methods: Some wild mushrooms require thorough cooking to break down toxins and render them edible. The genus Boletus contains over 100 species of wild mushrooms, including the delicious porcini or king bolete as well as bitter, toxic varieties. Improper identification and cooking of toxic Boletus species has led to poisonings. Boiling mushrooms for 20-30 minutes makes most varieties safe to eat by breaking down toxins, even some that are poisonous raw. However, some Boletus species remain too bitter and unpleasant even when cooked and should be avoided.

Most reported mushroom poisonings are due to a combination of these factors, according to a 2005 study in the Journal of Medical Toxicology. The majority who became ill from wild mushrooms were unsupervised children and inexperienced foragers who did not properly identify the species they collected and consumed.

With thousands of fungi species, it requires many years of experience to become proficient in identification and edibility of wild mushrooms. For novice foragers, the risks far outweigh the benefits of consuming wild mushrooms given the likelihood of poisoning through misidentification or improper preparation methods. Unless guided by an expert, mushroom foraging should be avoided by amateurs to prevent accidental poisoning, or even death. Proper education and understanding of fungi in the environment can help reduce the incidence of mushroom poisonings for future generations.

5 Edible Mushrooms That Are Easily Mistaken for Poisonous Ones

Some wild mushrooms have edible and poisonous lookalikes that are hard to distinguish for amateur foragers. The following 5 edible mushrooms are frequently mistaken for poisonous species due to their similarities:

1. Honey mushrooms: Edible honey mushrooms resemble the poisonous Galerina marginata which contains deadly amatoxins. Key differences are that honey mushrooms grow in clusters on dead wood and have dark fibrillose scales on the cap, while G. marginata has a smooth, rusty-red cap and pale gills.
2. Scaly vase chanterelles: Edible vase chanterelles can be mistaken for poisonous Jack-O’-Lantern mushrooms. Jack-O’-Lanterns have sharp ridges instead of blunt scales on the cap, and the gills are not forked. Both species are bioluminescent, glowing in the dark.
3. Black trumpets: Edible black trumpets resemble two poisonous species: deadly webcap and sweating mushrooms. However, black trumpets lack a cobweb-like veil, have downturned edges, and lack the chrome yellow coloring of deadly webcaps. They also lack the wet, slimy caps of sweating mushrooms.
4. Cinnabar red chanterelles: These edible chanterelles can resemble the poisonous false chanterelles though the latter lack the orange-red color and have true gills instead of blunt ridges. False chanterelles also tend to discolor grayish when handled while edible chanterelles retain a bright orange color.
5. Fairy ring mushrooms: Edible fairy ring mushrooms appear in circular groups like their poisonous namesakes, deadly galerina. However, fairy rings lack an annulus or ring-like structure on the stipe. Deadly galerina also has a smooth, rusty red cap while fairy ring caps are usually yellow to brown.

When foraging for wild mushrooms, extreme caution must be taken to properly identify species and avoid poisonous lookalikes. Always confirm identification with a reputable field guide or expert before consuming any mushroom to avoid potentially deadly consequences. The colour, shape, gill attachment, habitat and staining of a mushroom are all important identification factors, and misjudging any one can lead to a fatal poisoning. Unless you are highly proficient in mushroom identification, it is never worth the risk to consume wild mushrooms.