Quick Facts: Mushroom Poisoning - Merck Manuals Consumer Version

Actinomycosis is a chronic infection caused mainly by the bacteria Actinomyces israelii. These are anaerobic bacteria, meaning they can thrive without oxygen. Actinomyces israelii are normally found on tooth enamel, gums, tonsils, and membranes lining the intestines and vagina. Under which of the following conditions does an actinomycosis infection typically develop?

After illness with another infection
After major dental work
When tissue in the body is broken
After exposure to a large population of actinomyces israelii bacteria

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Quick Facts

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The Manual's Editorial Staff

Last full review/revision Oct 2019| Content last modified Oct 2019

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Certain mushrooms contain chemicals that are poisonous. The poisons (toxins) in these mushrooms can make you sick.

Many types of mushrooms are poisonous
The most common symptoms are throwing up and belly pain
It's very hard to tell whether a mushroom is poisonous or not
Don't eat mushrooms you find growing outside
Some types of mushrooms are very poisonous and can kill you

Call for emergency medical assistance (911 in most areas of the United States) if you or someone else may have eaten poisonous mushrooms, or call the poison control center for advice (1-800-222-1222 in the United States). The World Health Organization provides a world directory of poison centers.

Symptoms from eating poisonous mushrooms vary but almost always include:

Throwing up
Belly pain

Depending on the type of mushroom, you may also have other symptoms.

Mushrooms that cause symptoms quickly (within 2 hours) are less dangerous than those that cause symptoms later (after 6 hours).

Symptoms usually go away within 24 hours:

Diarrhea (frequent, loose, or watery poop), which can be bloody
Body aches
Headaches

Symptoms begin within 15 to 30 minutes:

Feeling of extreme excitement and happiness (euphoria)
Extra imagination
Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there)
Fast heartbeat

Watery eyes
Abnormally small pupils (black areas in the center of the eye)
Throwing up
Belly cramps
Sweating
Diarrhea (frequent, loose, or watery poop)
Twitching muscles
Confusion
Coma (when you’re unconscious and can’t be woken up)

With treatment, symptoms usually go away in 12 hours. You can die within a few hours if you aren't treated.

Symptoms start within 6 to 12 hours:

Throwing up
Diarrhea (frequent, loose, or watery poop)
Yellow skin and eyes
Very little urination (peeing)

Amanita mushrooms and related mushrooms are very dangerous. About half of the people with this type of mushroom poisoning die in 5 to 8 days.

Treatment depends on the type of mushroom you ate.

Doctors will:

Give you a sedative (a medicine to relax your body), if you're having hallucinations
Give you medicine through an IV (into your vein)
Use a special filter to take poison out of your blood (a procedure called dialysis)

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