Education
If You Suspect a Poisoning
If you suspect that you have consumed a poisonous mushroom, contact a physician, or Washington Poison Center: 1-800-222-1222.
The North American Mycological Association (NAMA) has a comprehensive list of poisoning syndromes as well as steps to follow in seeking treatment that is available here. For Identification of any mushrooms in a local suspected poisoning, please contact our Scientific Advisor, Dr Steven Trudell at (206) 721-0552 (email: mycecol (at) u.washington.edu ) or Danny Miller at 425-223-1976 (email: id@psms.org ). For suspected poisonings in non-local areas or in other states, NAMA has a list of Identifiers by state and location available here.
For all non-emergency questions, please contact id@psms.org. For general identification of mushrooms (not a poisoning case) please bring them to our ID clinic, a membership meeting, our annual show, or contact id@psms.org.
Most Common Toxic Species in the Pacific Northwest
| Species | Toxins | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Amanita phalloides, Amanita ocreata, small Lepiotas | Cyclopeptides - Amatoxins (also Phallotoxins, Virotoxins) | Latent period usually 8-12 hrs, then severe vomiting and diarrhea, later liver damage. |
| Cortinarius rubellus, other Cortinarii | Orellanine (bipyridlyl, similar to Diquat, Paraquat) | Latent period very long, up to several days, then kidney damage, sometimes GI disturbances. |
| Amanita smithiana | 2-amino-4, 5-hexadienoic acid as an amino sugar | Latent period 4-11 hrs, GI disturbances, renal damage, sometimes liver damage. |
| Gyromitra esculenta, other Gyromitras, Helvellas, raw morels | Gyromitrin (high instability) (Monomethylhydrazine) [carcinogenic, mutagenic] | Difficult to distinguish from Phalloides poisoning, often additional central nervous and haemolytic symptoms. |
| Most Inocybes, some Clitocybes, misc. other species | Muscarine (alkaloid) [similar to acetylcholine - transmits impulses from synapses of nerve cells to the receptors of muscle, nerve and gland cells] | Short latent period, GI disturbances, sweating, salivation, lachrymation. |
| Amanita muscaria, Amanita pantherina | Ibotenic Acid, Muscomol (isoxazoles) [stimulates GABA receptors in CN system] | Short latent period, similar To alcohol intoxication, then deep sleep. |
| Many Psilocybes, blue-bruising gilled fungi | Psilocybin, Psilocin, Baeocystin (indoles) [similar to LSD, structural analogs of serotonin] | Short latent period, psychotomimetic symptoms predominate, similar to those of LSD intoxication |
| Coprinopsis atramentaria (Coprinus atramentarius) | Coprine (prevents further oxidation of acetaldehyde during the metabolism of alcohol - to acetate) | Requires consumption of alcohol, flushing, reddening of the face, headache, metallic taste in mouth. (Antabuse-like) |
| Paxillus involutus | Immuno-haemolytic anaemia, toxins?? | Short latent period, GI and haemolytic symptoms, previous history of eating with milder symptoms |
| Gastrointestinal many species | Various, often unknown | Short latent period, primarily GI symptoms |
If You Suspect
a Poisoning
Contact a physician
or Washington Poison
Center: 1-800-222-1222
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