Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine (Jan 2024)

Diagnosis and Management of Amanita Phalloides Toxicity in the Emergency Department Observation Unit: A Case Report

  • Matthew Tobias,
  • Mary McGoldrick,
  • Mary Rometti,
  • Jessica Laub,
  • Grant Wei,
  • Denise Fernandez

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5811/cpcem.1268
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 49 – 52

Abstract

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Introduction: Mushroom toxicity is an important etiology of acute liver injury in a patient with gastrointestinal symptoms. Case Report: We present the case of a male patient presenting to the emergency department (ED) with gastrointestinal distress who was placed under ED observation for elevated liver function tests. During his hospital course, it was revealed he had consumed wild mushrooms believed to be Amanita phalloides. Conclusion: While mushroom ingestion and subsequent toxicity are rare, a high index of suspicion in foraging hobbyists is essential to arriving at the correct diagnosis and directing the patient to the appropriate management.