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Pale grebe poisoning

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 08.07.2025
 
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Poisoning with death cap occurs exclusively due to the fault or carelessness of the person himself. When picking mushrooms, you can often confuse death cap with champignons, as well as russula. This happens due to ignorance of the difference between them. Often, such a problem visits inexperienced mushroom pickers. Such a mistake can cost a person his life. Therefore, without certain experience, it is forbidden to collect, and especially to eat unknown mushrooms.

ICD-10 code

The code according to the international classification of diseases ICD-10 includes mushroom poisoning, here it is indicated under the number T62.0. It contains many sub-items of this phenomenon. The classification includes not only mushroom poisoning, but also poisonous berries, plants and certain products.

S00-T98 Injuries, poisoning and certain other effects of external causes T51-T65 Toxic effects of substances, mainly of non-medical purpose T66-T78 Other and unrefined effects of external causes T62 Toxic effects of other poisonous substances contained in food eaten

T62.0 In mushrooms eaten (Mushroom poisoning). T62.1 In berries eaten. T62.2 In other plant(s) eaten. T62.8 Other toxic substances contained in food products eaten.

T62.9 Toxic substances contained in food eaten, unspecified. T62 Toxic effect of other toxic substances contained in food eaten.

Symptoms of Death Cap Poisoning

The initial manifestation occurs for the first time 8-21 hours after consuming the "product". The acute gastroenteritis phase is characterized by the appearance of a sharp attack of vomiting, and it is uncontrollable. Enteritis joins it after a few hours. The stool is abundant, foul-smelling. It often contains an admixture of blood. A person can visit the toilet up to 25 times a day.

There is no increase in temperature. Dehydration and hyposalemia begin to increase very quickly. Blood thickens, and oliguria joins in over time. Urea levels increase significantly.

On the second day, from the moment the poisoning developed, the transaminase activity increases. The increase in ALT persists for a long time. About a week later, the symptoms disappear. Jaundice appears, which is characterized by varying degrees of severity. A person exhibits hemoptysis, bloody vomiting, bleeding of varying severity. In the acute phase, renal failure develops. Without special treatment, a fatal outcome occurs. It occurs in almost 50% of all cases.

First signs

The first symptoms begin to appear within 2 hours. This is usually typical for mushrooms that are “weaker” in their effect. If the first symptoms appear after 6-20 hours, the situation is complicated. Most likely, the problem was caused by eating death cap or fly agaric. This is very dangerous.

So initially the person starts to be bothered by headaches, which suddenly turn into nausea. After which there is profuse vomiting, loose stools and severe abdominal pain. If the poisoning is very severe, then a sharp visual impairment is possible, as well as loss of voice. Due to severe dehydration, the person constantly feels thirsty. There is profuse sweating, convulsions, the pulse is barely palpable.

Over time, the extremities begin to get cold, the skin takes on a bluish tint. The temperature does not rise, but on the contrary, decreases to 35 degrees. It is very important to provide the person with help in time, otherwise there is a risk of death.

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Consequences and complications

Poisoning with death cap occurs after it has been eaten. This is a very poisonous mushroom, and the danger comes not only from its body, but also from its spores. The latter have one peculiarity - they are carried by the wind. This allows them to settle on plants that are within a radius of three meters. Therefore, it is important to specially treat all berries consumed in the forest. The same applies to mushrooms. Ideally, it is generally forbidden to harvest near death caps.

Once the poison enters the body, its effect does not develop immediately. A person does not feel any symptoms for up to a day. There are no signs, the mushroom picker is happy with the harvest. This is what makes the death cap dangerous. Before the first symptoms begin to appear, irreparable damage has already been done to the body. In order for the dose to become lethal, it is enough to eat 30 mg of the mushroom. The death cap has a pleasant taste, so it is almost impossible to distinguish it from edible mushrooms. Its poisons cannot be digested in the stomach, they can only be eliminated by prolonged heat treatment, drying or freezing.

The toadstool contains a dangerous toxin – amanitin. It is this toxin that negatively affects the kidneys, liver and central nervous system. The toxin also affects the heart muscle. The only possible consequence of eating mushrooms is death.

Poisoning with death cap is very dangerous. Thus, toxins enter the body, which can cause irreparable harm to a person. The whole danger lies in the fact that the first symptoms begin to manifest themselves no earlier than 6 hours, sometimes this period reaches one and a half days. During this time, changes occur in the body, vital organs are damaged. Therefore, first aid for poisoning is necessary, and most importantly, qualified. After all, the future fate of a person depends on it. In almost 50% of cases, everything ends in death.

To avoid complications, it is worth keeping an eye on the mushrooms you have collected. If you have any doubts, do not put the harvest in a basket. You should not collect anything near the death cap. After all, its spores can fly away in the wind and affect everything in the area.

Attention and timely response to emerging symptoms can save a person's life. You should not try to cope with the problem on your own. Here you need qualified medical help.

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Diagnostics

Today, there are several main diagnostic methods. Thus, the general course of measures includes clinical, instrumental, toxicological and pathomorphological diagnostics.

Clinical diagnostics. At this stage, the doctor simply examines the patient, listens to his complaints, collects a full anamnesis. It is important at this stage to tell what food was eaten and how the symptoms manifest themselves.

Instrumental diagnostics. It may include a certain examination of the patient. Usually, the brain function is examined, information on hourly diuresis, hemodynamics of the pulmonary circulation is collected. Sometimes the patient is referred for other types of examination.

Toxicological diagnostics. This method allows you to determine the quantitative and qualitative composition of toxic substances that have entered the human body. When conducting non-specific biochemical studies, you can accurately assess the effect of the toxin on the body. How it affects the liver, kidneys, and other important organs and systems.

Pathomorphological diagnostics. This method is applicable only in cases where a fatal outcome has occurred. A forensic medical examination is carried out, on the basis of which it is determined for what reasons the death occurred. The substances that led to this process are also identified.

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Tests

To determine poisoning by death cap, it is not necessary to take any tests. As additional diagnostic measures, a person may be asked to take a blood and urine test. Usually, all the symptoms are obvious. It is possible to determine the presence of serious poisoning by signs alone.

The only thing is that a person may take a sample of vomit to determine the substance or toxin that caused this condition. Usually, when symptoms occur, the victims themselves describe their condition and tell what products they ate. Naturally, without precise data regarding the toxin, it is difficult to prescribe treatment. Therefore, the study and identification of the toxin plays an important role.

First, the person is given first aid, based on his descriptions and symptoms. Then a detailed study of the "discharge" is carried out. After all, there should be no mistakes, the consequences of poisoning with death cap are aggravating.

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Instrumental diagnostics

Diagnostic methods, or rather their complex, vary depending on the medical institution and the severity of the patient's condition. Much depends on the level of the hospital, its equipment with special equipment for monitoring the patient's condition.

In any case, the doctor must know what the patient is complaining about, what symptoms are bothering him and how long ago they appeared. A complete anamnesis is collected. It is important to know how the brain works, whether there are any deviations in the functionality of other organs.

Usually, when determining poisoning, no methods are used. Everything is clear anyway, based on the symptoms and complaints of the patient. Therefore, it is important to collect all the information and not miss the key points. Fast action will not only eliminate the unpleasant symptoms, but also save the patient's life. After all, the death cap can affect many important organs and systems. Naturally, the process can be irreversible and everything will end in death.

Differential diagnostics

When poisoned by death cap, a person begins to be bothered by excessive dryness in the mouth. This is due to severe dehydration of the body. The voice may disappear, psychomotor agitation may appear. If the state is comatose, then a disturbance in the rhythm of breathing and shortness of breath cannot be ruled out. The main differential signs of poisoning include the appearance of various kinds of symptoms. Usually everything begins with a headache and is accompanied by nausea, profuse vomiting and intestinal upset.

When such symptoms appear, the doctor must collect all data regarding the products that have been consumed recently. After all, they may contain microorganisms that cause such manifestations. Laboratory tests allow to fully confirm the diagnosis. It is necessary to conduct a bacteriological study of the material that was obtained from the patient. In this case, we mean vomit, urine, blood.

The presence of a problem can be detected by conducting a biotoxic test. The patient's blood is simply injected into the test animals and they are closely monitored. This method is widely discouraged, since it involves torturing the mice.

Sowing can be done to isolate botulinum microorganisms. However, this is time-consuming, which is unacceptable. The person needs to be given first aid immediately. Usually, such a test is sent to the laboratory for diagnostics, and in the meantime, the treatment of the victim continues.

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Who to contact?

Treatment of death cap poisoning

After the person has been given first aid, the victim is sent to the hospital for diagnosis of his condition. It is important to check the functionality of all organs and determine the methods of inpatient treatment. The victim should be accompanied to the medical aid station, because it will be difficult for him to do this on his own. It is advisable for the person to have mushroom samples for diagnosis, as well as the contents of the vomit. This will help identify the toxin that caused this condition. All members of the victim's family should undergo examination.

If the diagnosis confirms the fact of death cap poisoning, appropriate treatment is prescribed. It usually includes gastric lavage, the use of special antidotes to amanitin and phalloidin, blood purification and treatment of exotoxic shock. If the treatment was started on time and the main organs did not have time to fail, the person has a chance for a full recovery. More details about the drugs used for treatment will be discussed below.

First aid for death cap poisoning

At the first symptoms of poisoning, you should immediately contact a doctor, preferably call an ambulance. After all, in most cases, qualified medical care is needed. Before the doctor arrives, you need to provide the person with first aid. This will significantly protect his life and reduce the risk of serious consequences.

The first thing a person needs to do is wash out the stomach. To do this, the victim should drink 6 glasses of liquid. It is desirable that it be a weak solution of potassium permanganate. You can add a tablespoon of salt to a glass of water.

After the victim has drunk the required amount of liquid, vomiting should be induced. To do this, press on the tongue with two fingers. It is also advisable to take activated carbon. White clay will also do. Then something warm is applied to the victim's legs and stomach. The remains of the vomit should not be completely destroyed, because they can be used to diagnose the cause of the poisoning.

Once the stomach has been washed, adequate treatment should be used. It is prescribed directly by a specialist and depends entirely on the fungus that caused everything. You should not try to cope with poisoning on your own, this can only worsen the situation. Qualified help is necessary.

Medicines

To eliminate all the symptoms caused by death cap poisoning, it is worth using only proven and effective medications. The success of treatment depends on how quickly the symptoms manifest themselves. Because the death cap poisons penetrate into many organs and systems quite quickly.

The main objective of therapy is to combat severe fluid loss, as well as chlorides. This should be combated in the first hours after the onset of symptoms. A beneficial effect is provided by the introduction of a physiological solution. This should be done slowly, usually the procedure does not last more than an hour. A glucose solution is also introduced, 100-125 grams diluted in 500 ml of Ringer's solution is sufficient. The latter implies a 0.7% solution of sodium chloride. In this case, the solution should be heated to a temperature of 37 degrees. Gradually, the introduction of glucose is reduced, then 75 grams per 400 ml of solution will be sufficient, then 50 grams per 300 ml of solution. Ultimately, only Ringer's solution is introduced.

In order to strengthen the heart muscle, a person needs to inject strychnine nitrate intravenously three times a day at 0.002 grams. It has a positive effect on the central nervous system and also tones the functions of the vasomotor and respiratory centers. Thanks to the use of this remedy, arterial respiration is stabilized along with breathing.

After which they resort to symptomatic treatment. The person is given Pantopon in the amount of 0.02 grams up to 4 times a day, and with the same frequency Morphine at 0.01 mg. This will reduce the pain in the abdomen, and also calm the person. If the person is cold, he is prescribed cardiac drugs that tone the vasomotor center. For this, Caffeine, Corazol, Hexeton are used. The dosage is prescribed by the doctor, the drugs cannot be taken in case of hypersensitivity to the main components.

Folk remedies

At the first signs of poisoning, it is necessary to resort to gastric lavage. A solution of sea salt can be used for this. It is necessary to take a teaspoon of purified sea salt and dilute it in a glass of water. This solution will induce vomiting and thus cleanse the stomach. For maximum effect, 3-4 glasses of the solution should be consumed.

Once the stomach is cleared, you need to drink a shot of vodka with salt. To do this, pour a third of a teaspoon of finely ground sea salt into the shot. Then stir everything and drink. Experts recommend adding a little pepper here.

It is advisable to cleanse the intestines as well. To do this, you need to do at least 5 enemas, with an hour interval between them. A saline solution is also used here. You should pour a tablespoon of salt into a liter of warm water.

Folk treatment is certainly good. But in case of death cap poisoning, it is inappropriate. You can do a gastric lavage yourself, the rest of the treatment is prescribed by the attending physician. At the first signs, you should immediately call an ambulance.

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Herbal treatment

Herbal treatment at home is appropriate, but you should not carry out the procedures yourself. After all, death cap poisoning is very dangerous and in almost 50% of cases leads to death. You can only wash your stomach yourself. Salted water is used for this. The next step is to put your intestines in order. Castor oil or a laxative is added to the enema liquid. If a person suffers from hallucinations, ice should be applied to his forehead.

Tannin can help fight poisoning effectively. It is used as an astringent that can slow down the absorption of poison in the body. It must be brewed in a special way. To do this, take 2 teaspoons of tannin and pour a glass of water. Take 15 drops of the remedy every 30 minutes. This substance is also used to cleanse the intestines. To do this, add a little of the remedy to the enema. 1 teaspoon per 250 ml of liquid is enough.

A collection of herbs has proven itself well. It has a pronounced antitoxic and astringent effect. It is necessary to take 5 tablespoons of horsetail, the same amount of red clover and flowers. For maximum effect, 2 tablespoons of oak bark are added. All this is brewed in a liter of boiling water. In total, it is necessary to take 3 tablespoons of the collection. The finished product is taken half a glass up to 7 times a day.

It is important to understand that relying on folk remedies alone is foolish. Only qualified help is needed here. You should not delay under any circumstances!

Homeopathy

Homeopathic remedies can stop poisoning in a few hours. But this information is more relevant for poisoning by certain foods. In this case, the effect is really observed quickly. Sometimes a day is enough to completely put a person back on his feet.

As for mushroom poisoning, both poisonous and rotten, the situation is somewhat more complicated. The contents of the stomach and intestines must be removed immediately. Ordinary emetics and laxatives are suitable for this. If the condition is complicated, then Atropine is injected under the skin. In case of severe excitement, this method is not suitable. Opium and Morphine will be appropriate here.

If there is a strong decline in strength, then resort to the help of alcoholic drinks, ether and coffee. If hallucinations appear, apply cold to the head. If there is severe vomiting - Ice and Cocaine. In case of asphyxia, a saline solution should be poured in. Enemas with the use of chlorine hydrate are also done.

Surgical treatment

Death cap poisoning is certainly dangerous, but despite this, surgical treatment is not used here. It is impossible to remove anything surgically in this case. The person needs to be given prompt assistance, this will save his life.

The first step is to wash the stomach. This can be either regular water or a saline solution. A weak solution of potassium permanganate will also do. Then, measures are taken to cleanse the intestines. In this case, a saline solution is also used. Then symptomatic treatment begins. It is prescribed exclusively by a doctor.

It is worth understanding that the poison of the toadstool can harm all vital organs and systems. Therefore, the sooner you begin to remove the poison from the body, the more favorable the prognosis will be. Relying on folk medicine or your own strength is stupid. You need to act professionally. If you start on time, the chance of survival is much higher.

Prevention

It is necessary to collect only those mushrooms that are well known. If there are any doubts, it is better not to take them. When collecting, pay attention to the shape, color and smell of the pulp. Moreover, everything is checked both at the time of collection and when cutting. Many people believe that a poisonous mushroom can only be identified by a darkened silver stem. This is not true. Thus, a death cap is almost impossible to distinguish from an edible mushroom.

It is forbidden to harvest near highways, chemical industries, and other unfavorable places. The fact is that mushrooms are able to absorb all dangerous toxins and thus accumulate them in themselves. Therefore, even an edible mushroom can cause serious poisoning if it was collected in such a place.

In no case should you touch poisonous mushrooms with your hands, especially children. Overripe and very old "plants" can cause poisoning. As a rule, the process of protein decay has already begun inside them. It is easy to determine a bad mushroom in this case; it has a flabby soft cap.

It is important to know how to properly process the harvest. To do this, the mushrooms are thoroughly boiled or dried. For example, morels need at least 15 minutes of boiling so that toxins begin to come out of them. In order not to cause heaviness in the stomach, you can eat no more than 200 grams per day.

Forecast

Mushroom poisoning has always been considered the most dangerous. The doctor must understand that the mortality rate in this case increases several times. Therefore, it is necessary to act quickly. The course of the prognosis depends on this.

When making a prognosis, a special role is given to the condition of the heart and blood vessels. If they are in good condition, then the probability of a positive outcome is much higher. Usually, such patients recover within a short time. If the condition of the organs is not the best, blood circulation can deteriorate sharply. The pulse is weakly felt, the person begins to fade. Ultimately, a fatal outcome occurs. It is usually associated with paralysis of the vasomotor center.

Most patients, especially children, die on the third day. For many, the third day is the crisis in eliminating the problem. If a person survives these days, then the chance of recovery is almost 100%.

Some doctors believe that the crisis can occur on the second day, and if a person holds out for three more days after it, he will survive. However, fatal outcomes still occur and their frequency is high.

Recovery can occur within 2-4 weeks. This is a very long process. The liver takes on all the "negative" from the poisoning, so much depends on it. The main thing is that jaundice does not develop as a consequence, which will worsen the person's condition. If the person is on the mend, the prognosis is favorable. Over time, all functions and systems will be restored.

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