Mushroom Poisoning with Symptoms of Pantherina Syndrome: A Case Report
Çağdaş Yıldırım, Gülhan Kurtoğlu Çelik, Gullu Ercan Haydar, Gül Pamukçu Günaydın, Yavuz Otal, Ayhan Özhasenekler
Journal of Emergency Medicine Case Reports June 14, 2016 DOI: 10.5152/jemcr.2016.1368 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A 59-year-old male patient with acute mushroom poisoning |
| Interventions | Gastric lavage activated charcoal diazepam |
| Duration | Monitored for 36 hours; fully conscious 15 hours after ingestion |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | A 59-year-old man who ate self-collected wild mushrooms developed unconsciousness and hallucinations within two hours and was initially misdiagnosed with a cerebrovascular event. After gastric lavage, activated charcoal, and diazepam, he was fully conscious 15 hours after ingestion and discharged uneventfully after 36 hours. The authors argue that treatment should be supportive and symptom-guided rather than based on mushroom identification. |
Abstract
Introduction: The emergency department is the most common site of presentation for patients suffering from acute mushroom poisoning; therefore, emergency physicians should be familiar with it. We present a case of mushroom poisoning that was initially misdiagnosed as a cerebrovascular event.Case Report: A 59-year-old male patient was referred to our emergency service from another hospital with the presumptive diagnosis of a cerebrovascular event. He had presented to the other hospital with complaints of a decrease in consciousness and hallucinations that started 2 h ago. Upon presentation he was unconscious. Family members stated that 30 min before his symptoms started, he had eaten mushrooms that he had collected himself from nature. Active charcoal was administered after gastric lavage. Diazepam was given for agitations. Fifteen hours after the ingestion of mushrooms, the patient was fully conscious. He was monitored for 36 hours and was discharged uneventfully.Conclusion: Pantherina syndrome is a type of mushroom poisoning that has been classified as glutaminergic neurotoxic syndrome with early onset. Treatment is mainly supportive and should be guided by the patient’s symptoms rather than by attempts at mushroom identification. Elimination of the mushroom from the gastrointestinal tract by gastric lavage and the administration of activated charcoal is recommended. Generally, the symptoms are mild and require no further treatment. Emergency physicians should consider mushroom poisoning in the evaluation of patients with acute onset delirium who may be intoxicated by natural substances