Hydrocarbon poisoning occurs when hydrocarbons are swallowed or inhaled. Ingestion is more common in children <5 years of age and can cause aspiration pneumonitis.
Many types of mushrooms cause poisoning when ingested. Distinguishing between wild species is a difficult task, even for an experienced mushroom picker; folk methods for distinguishing poisonous from edible ones are usually unreliable.
Ciguatera poisoning occurs when eating any of >400 species of fish found around the tropical reefs of Florida, the West Indies, or the Pacific Ocean, where dinoflagellates produce a toxin that accumulates in the fish's flesh.
A small number of common plants are poisonous. Highly toxic and potentially fatal plants include castor oil plant, prayer grass, poison hemlock, water hemlock, oleander, and foxglove, which contain glycosides.
In cases of poisoning with caustic substances (strong acids and alkalis), a chemical burn of the upper gastrointestinal tract develops, leading in some cases to perforation of the esophagus or stomach.
Patients with severe poisoning may require mechanical ventilation and/or treatment for cardiovascular collapse. If consciousness is impaired, constant monitoring and restraint may be required.
The first stage of diagnosis is an assessment of the patient's general condition. Severe poisoning may require emergency measures to treat acute cardiovascular failure (collapse).
