Fungi that cause human diseases. Symptoms and treatment of fungal infections in the body Which of the following human diseases are caused by fungi?

Diseases caused by fungi, as well as the products of their metabolism, are called mycopathies and include the following groups of diseases.

microorganisms are more or less obligate pathogens (so-called primary mycoses);

microorganisms are only facultatively pathogenic (secondary mycoses), and the macroorganism has functional or immunological abnormalities.

The microbiological classification of these diseases is quite complex. They are caused mainly by Dermatophytes (dermatophytes), Yeasts (yeasts) and Molds (moulds). There are several groups of mycoses.

Dermatomycoses(Dermatomycoses) are a group of zoonotic diseases of the skin and its derivatives, diagnosed in farm and domestic animals, fur-bearing animals, rodents and humans. Depending on the genus of the causative agent, diseases are divided into trichophytosis, microsporosis and favus, or scab.

Pathogens mold mycoses Various aspergillus, mucor, penicillium and other fungi that are very common in nature are used. Mold mycoses are found in almost all countries of the world.

Diseases caused by radiant fungi (actinomycetes) are currently classified as so-called pseudomycoses. Some of them are registered on all continents, others - only in certain countries. Radiant fungi are saprophytes, found in nature in large quantities and on various substrates, have strong proteolytic properties, form endotoxins, and many are antagonists of bacteria and fungi. In total, more than 40 species of actinomycetes pathogenic for humans and animals are known. The main diseases caused by actinomycetes: actinomycosis; actinobacillosis, or pseudoactinomycosis; nocardiosis; mycotic dermatitis. Some researchers, based on the nature of the clinical manifestation, combine actinomycosis and actinobacillosis under the general name “actinomycosis”, considering it a polymicrobial disease.

2. Mycoallergoses cover all forms of allergies provoked by fungal allergens (mycelium, spores, conidia, metabolites). In most cases, allergies are caused by inhalation.

472 3. Mycotoxicoses- acute or chronic intoxication, the cause of which is not the mushrooms themselves, which are widespread in nature and often present in food and animal feed, but their toxins. Despite the fact that such fungi cannot be defined as pathogenic in the strict sense of the word, since they themselves do not infect animals and humans, the pathological role of their products is diverse, having toxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, mutagenic and other harmful effects on the body.

4. Mycetism - poisoning by higher (cap) mushrooms, caused by toxic peptides present in primary poisonous mushrooms or formed as a result of spoilage due to improper storage or preparation of mushrooms.

5. Mixed diseases - mycosotoxicosis or toxicomycosis with allergy symptoms. Diseases in this group are probably the most widespread.

Mycosotoxicosis is a term that has not yet received wide recognition among mycologists. It is believed that this is a large group of fungal diseases of animals associated with the presence of a pathogen in the body that can not only grow and multiply in various organs and tissues, but also produce endotoxins (similar to toxic infections with tetanus or botulism in birds). Toxins such as endotoxins have been established, for example, in the fungi Blastomyces dermatitidis, Candida albicans, Dermatophytes, Coccidioides immitis, Actinomyces bovis, etc. Fungal toxins are less toxic than bacterial endotoxins.

Mycosotoxicoses thus occupy an intermediate position between classical mycoses and mycotoxicoses.

Currently, in medicine, including veterinary medicine, the term “mycobiota” and not “microflora” is accepted, since fungi are not true plants.

Animals, especially young ones, of almost all species are susceptible to mycoses. Some mycoses are dangerous to humans.

Not so long ago (about 10 years ago) little importance was attached to fungi as possible causative agents of infections in humans.

And this despite the fact that: Back in 1839, Schönlein and Graby established the fungal nature of scab, and in the same year Langenbeck discovered yeast-like microorganisms ( Candida albicans) for thrush. The first causative agent of systemic mycoses was discovered in 1892 in Posadas in Argentina.

Despite early efforts, medical mycology remained in the shadow of bacteriology and virology, although fungal diseases are among the most common human infections.

The situation has changed in recent decades. The widespread use of antibiotics has given rise to the problem of candidomycosis, previously known only as thrush in newborns. With the introduction into practice of radiation therapy, steroid hormones, immunosuppressants, cytotoxic agents, parenteral nutrition, and prosthetics, the problem of opportunistic mycoses arose. Severe mycoses can even lead to death. And yet this problem remains the least noticed by doctors.

Fungi are eukaryotes. Their cells are structured thanks to a system of intracellular membranes that form a morphologically shaped nucleus, branched endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and other organelles. The nucleus contains a set of chromosomes that replicate through mitosis. Like all eukaryotes, the plasma membrane of fungi is characterized by a high content of sterols (mainly ergosterol). In addition, fungi are capable of sexual reproduction (formation of sexual spores). All mushrooms are aerobes, and only a few are able to survive through fermentation.

At the same time, fungi are more primitive in structure than higher eukaryotes. This is manifested in the low specialization of the cells of which they are composed. Even in multicellular fungi (for example, molds), each individual cell is capable of giving rise to an entire organism. Unlike higher eukaryotes, most fungi are haploid (of the fungi of medical importance, only Candida).

Fungi are chemotrophs, extracting energy from the chemical bonds of food (which is why mushrooms grow great in the dark). They are heterotrophs, i.e. their metabolism is based on the utilization of organic compounds, usually “dead” organic material. The fungi group includes about 250,000 species. Of these, approximately 150 are pathogenic for humans. They cause diseases called "mycoses". Some mushrooms produce strong toxins that are dangerous to humans and animals. Mycotoxin poisoning is called “mycotoxicosis”. Mushroom products can sensitize humans, leading to the development of allergic diseases (“mycoallergoses”).

Mushrooms are usually divided into three groups:

Cap mushrooms

The vast majority of fungi are saprophytes. Mushrooms remain viable for years when frozen, and some of them continue to grow even at sub-zero temperatures.

The problem of fungal infection is currently very relevant. This problem is also due to the fact that mushrooms can imitate a clinical illness of a viral or bacterial nature (high fever, cough, runny nose, etc.).

If we classify the gradually established areas of medical mycology, we can distinguish the following:

Allergic diseases. Mushrooms are among the main causes of allergies. The air we breathe contains huge amounts of fungal spores, especially at certain times of the year. Mycogenic allergies are a serious problem and widespread; this action of fungi is due to the immunological hypersensitivity of the body.

Mushroom poisoning. Such poisoning occurs when eating poisonous mushrooms. The consequences of eating toxin-producing mushrooms range from mild gastrointestinal upset to complete liver blockage and death. The result of the action of these mushrooms belongs to the field of toxicology.

Mycotoxicoses. Diseases in this category are caused by the ability of macro- and microscopic fungi to cause infections in humans and animals (as well as in other living beings). Currently, the role of fungi as causative agents of predominantly skin and vaginal infections has increased significantly. Problems associated with fungi have now become one of the most significant in medicine and are especially relevant in the treatment of patients with impaired immune status.

Currently, medicine has made great strides forward; many types of operations have become possible (for example, organ transplants, bone marrow transplants, etc.), which has given a huge chance of prolonging life. However, as elsewhere, progress in medicine also has its downside. Measures directed against the underlying, primary disease often lead to serious disruption of the functions of the patient’s immune system. A striking example is the situation with patients with leukemia, for whom a bone marrow transplant is a chance for life. But it requires procedures such as radiation, chemotherapy, preventive antibiotic therapy and the use of immunosuppressive drugs, which significantly suppresses the function of the immune system of patients. Such a patient becomes like a “living Petri dish” with a nutrient medium; because his immune system functions are impaired, which prevent the introduction and proliferation of pathogenic microbes. It is for such patients that mycoses represent the most severe complication.

Patients hospitalized for operations are also at great risk (especially if the operation relates to the gastrointestinal tract); they are at risk of developing nosocomial sepsis caused by yeast-like fungi.

Doctors and other healthcare professionals, unfortunately, do not always perceive instructive lessons from the history of medicine - this is also reflected in the indiscriminate, often unjustified use of antibiotics. The consequences of unrestricted use of antimicrobial agents are often the development and spread of drug-resistant microbes, as well as the replacement of the body's normal microflora with an alternative one that can cause new pathologies.

Based on the above, we find that microbes, which under a normal immune system are harmless to the host, have the opportunity to “attack” the patient, in which case the consequences can be disastrous. It is these “opportunistic” infections that have become the main problem for modern medical practitioners and laboratory diagnostic specialists. Fungi have played and continue to play an important role as causative agents of such infections.

Recently, not only the number and severity of fungal infections has increased, but also the variety of fungi identified as etiological agents. When diagnosing and identifying them, medical practitioners and laboratory workers often experience great difficulties, the reason for which is poor theoretical training.

Materials used:

A.N. Mayansky, M.I. Zaslavskaya, E.V. Salina “Introduction to medical mycology” publishing house NGMA Nizhny Novgorod 2003

D. Sutton, A. Fothergill, M. Rinaldi “Identifier of pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic fungi” Publishing house “Mir” 2001.

Diseases caused by pathogenic fungal organisms are called and in most cases are infectious and contagious.

According to WHO (World Health Organization), a fifth of the population suffers from various fungal diseases. Skin diseases are widespread, and cases of lung damage have become more frequent. Up to 15% of all subacute and chronic sinusitis are caused by fungi. Fungal sinusitis tends to increase in number. Pathogenic fungi develop over decades, sometimes in latent form, and appear during complications, in old age, with diabetes mellitus, and HIV infection. Dermatophytes that attack the outer integument of humans are especially tenacious. Infection occurs through surface coverings, the respiratory tract, through ingestion with food in the absence of hygiene, as well as in hairdressing salons, swimming pools, when using other people's things, combs, and through contact with cats and dogs.

Saprolegnia fungi cause great damage to fisheries.

Of the mycoses that affect the internal organs of humans and animals, mycoses that cause pseudotuberculosis of the lungs, intestinal mycoses (gastromycosis), otomycosis (purulent inflammation of the ear), mycoses that cause inflammation of the nasal cavity and eyes are known. The most common are mycoses of the outer integument of humans and animals (dermatomycosis), and therefore a special branch has emerged in medicine and veterinary medicine - dermatomycology. Most often, the attention of dermatomycologists is attracted by diseases such as scab, ringworm (trichophytosis), epidermophytosis, microsporia and others.

Fish production (fish breeding) is damaged by disease of eggs and fry caused by a fungus of the genus Saprolegnia.

Among diseases of poultry and bees, aspergillosis is quite widely known.

But along with those pathogenic for humans and animals, there are also fungi that initially live on living or dead plants, and then enter the body of animals or humans along with plant food, causing suffering and sometimes leading to death. The diseases in these cases are not infectious in nature, since they represent only poisoning by toxins (poisons) produced by fungi during their life on plants. Such poisonings are called. Among the latter, the most widely known are mycotoxicoses of humans and animals, caused by ergot of bread and fodder cereals (Claviceps purpurea), as well as “drunken bread” made from grain infected with fungi of the genus Fusarium. Less well known is poisoning with “drunken oil”, obtained from oilseed flax plants infected while still in the root by toxic species of fungi from the genus Fusarium. The effect of intoxicating chaff (Lolium temulentum) on animals is also harmful, since its seeds acquire poisonous properties under the influence of the sterile stages of the fungus that invariably lives on this grass. The harmful effects of the causative agent of smut - Ustilago longissima, which attacks manna leaves (Clyceria fluitans), and blister smut of corn - Ustilago maydis are also known; the latter contains a toxin, the aqueous extract of which turned out to be more toxic than ergotine, contained in ergot horns.

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Publication date: July 16, 2013

During violations of feed procurement technologies and the wrong choice of storage method, they are often affected by fungi that cause diseases in animals. They can be divided into the following groups:

mycoses- diseases caused by pathogenic fungi (actinomycosis, candidomycosis, trichophytosis, aspergillosis, etc.);

mycotoxicoses- diseases that occur when eating feed contaminated with toxigenic fungi (ergotism, fusariotoxicosis, stachybothriotoxicosis, aspergillotoxicosis, etc.);

allergies- diseases that occur with various clinical signs (fever, swelling of the facial part of the head, shortness of breath, heart failure, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, diarrhea, etc.); very difficult to diagnose;

mixed diseases- mycosis-toxicosis or toxic-mycosis with allergy symptoms.

The sensitivity of animals to mycotoxins depends on their chemical structure and the physiological state of the body. It is believed that poultry, horses, pigs, then large and small livestock are most sensitive to them. More often, mycotoxicosis occurs in young, pregnant animals, and so on. Feeding levels and the completeness of diets, the conditions of keeping and caring for animals, and the intensity of their exploitation create backgrounds under which mycotoxicosis can increase or decrease. By origin, mycotoxicoses are often nutritional, less often respiratory and contagious. Usually mycotoxicoses are named according to the generic and species of the fungus that caused the disease (penicillotoxicosis, aspergillotoxicosis, fusariotoxicosis, penicillioislandiotoxicosis, penicillorubrotoxicosis). If a mycotoxin is identified that causes pathology in animals, then it is called toxicosis (for example, aflatoxicosis, etc.).

The variety of epizootic, clinical picture and severity of mycotoxicosis depend on:

a) the amount of toxin entering the body;

b) the duration of the toxin entering the body;

c) the degree of toxicity of the feed; d) biological and chemical activity of the toxin;

e) age, species and individual characteristics, state of organisms and environmental conditions.

Due to this, the picture of mycotoxicosis varies in different regions and in different years.

Typically, the epizootic picture of mycotoxicosis is characterized by: suddenness and mass occurrence, lack of contagiousness (after replacing food suspected of being contaminated with a benign one, new cases of the disease stop); focality and zonality; seasonality.

The most typical clinical signs are:

a) body temperature is often normal, but may be increased or decreased;

b) the central and autonomic nervous system is often affected;

c) all kinds of lesions of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, enteritis, atony, tympany; changes in the liver);

d) damage to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems (tachycardia, bradycardia, shallow breathing, etc.);

e) change in the blood picture (at the beginning, slight leukocytosis, then persistent leukopenia with the replacement of neutrophils by lymphocytes, thrombopenia);

f) lesions of the genitourinary system (albuminuria, hematuria, polyuria, abortion, infertility, vaginal prolapse, etc.).

The pathological picture is characterized by almost multiple hemorrhages in almost all internal organs, degeneration, necrosis in the gastrointestinal tract, etc.

The diagnosis of mycotoxicosis is made on the basis of epizootological data, clinical picture, blood readings, pathological changes with a complete toxicomycological study of feed used in the diet of animals.

Prevention of mycotoxicosis consists of the following set of measures: combating toxic fungi in the external environment, taking into account the characteristics of their ecology and biology, proper harvesting and further storage of feed; rational and proper use of pastures and feed; organization of veterinary and sanitary control of feed and pastures; disinfection and neutralization of feed affected by toxic fungi.

Measures against toxic fungi that infect plants during the growing season (smut, rust, ergot, etc.) include: dressing, thermal and chemical disinfection, thorough mechanical cleaning of seed material; proper tillage and selection of organic and mineral fertilizers; carrying out sowing in a short time, timely harvesting in a short time; timely haymaking before the flowering of cereals and other forage grasses; destruction of weeds and plants - intermediate hosts of fungi; stubble peeling followed by deep plowing; burning of post-harvest residues; breeding plant varieties resistant to fungal attack.

Crucial importance in maintaining the quality of feed is compliance with the rules of harvesting, feed preparation and subsequent storage.

In some years, poisoning is observed when animals graze on feed grass mixtures with a predominance of cereal grasses affected by ergot, smut, rust and powdery mildew. Toxic fusaria are widespread on forage and meadow grasses of pastures.

Rough feed, grain and its processed products affected by fungi are not recommended to be soaked or steamed for several days, since under the influence of moisture the fungus quickly develops and as a result toxic substances accumulate, causing poisoning.

Defective, fungal-contaminated feed that has overwintered in the field and been subjected to self-warming should be classified as conditionally suitable and, without appropriate neutralization, is prohibited from being used for fodder purposes.

It is dangerous to place roughage and grain fodder along with silage into feeders affected by fungi for several days. Silage increases the humidity of hay and straw in the feeders. Toxic fungal spores germinate and the feed becomes toxic. It is recommended to add good-quality feed along with silage and only before feeding. Poultry mash must be prepared from good quality grain and its processed products, not affected by fungi, and only for 1 day. Ensiled feed with a high content of organic acids must be deoxidized. When animals are systematically fed very acidic feed containing large amounts of acetic or butyric acids, disorders of the functioning of the digestive organs, metabolic disorders, etc. may occur. The use of such silage with feed contaminated with toxic fungi causes massive mycotoxicosis in animals.

Humanity has been actively using mushrooms for food since ancient times. This product is rich in animal proteins, active enzymes, plant sugars, vitamins A, C, D, group B, as well as selenium, potassium, iron and zinc salts, unique in composition and taste, nutritious and convenient for canning. Thanks to this, mushroom fishing, as well as berry picking, beekeeping and fishing, was mandatory in the life support cycle of many peoples. In Russia, mushroom dishes enriched the meager diet of peasants.

Today, dishes made from carefully selected and properly prepared mushrooms are considered a delicacy. Modern nutritionists express different opinions regarding the usefulness of the product. On the one hand, mushrooms are a valuable source of proteins, natural salts and enzymes, on the other hand, they are considered difficult to digest food, can cause allergies, are undesirable for consumption by children and pregnant women, and if the rules of collection, storage and processing are not followed, they pose a potential health hazard and people's lives.

Causes of mushroom poisoning

The main cause of mushroom poisoning is the presence of toxins in their fruiting bodies. In addition, fungi accumulate heavy metals, radionuclides, and pesticides from the soil. Among the 3000 varieties of all existing cap mushrooms, only 400 species are edible. The rest are considered poisonous or conditionally edible.

Mushroom poisoning is classified as biological poisoning and is one of the most common seasonal food poisonings. Its cause is the consumption of mushrooms, which can be divided into three groups:

Actually poisonous.
Conditionally edible, releasing milky juice when broken.
Edible, but accumulated toxic substances, giving them qualitatively new properties.

The following types of mushrooms pose the greatest threat to health:

pale toadstools (contain the poisons amanitin and phalloidin, which quickly destroy liver cells, causing kidney degeneration);
red and panther fly agarics (contain hyoscyamine and scopolamine, which negatively affect the central nervous system);
satanic mushrooms (cause gastrointestinal disorders);
parterre mushrooms (the effect of the poison affects the nervous system, primarily the vegetative one);
Svinushka (contains radioactive isotopes of copper and cesium, salts of heavy metals, lectins, potentially dangerous to the circulatory system, the poison of Svinushka causes allergies);
false honey mushrooms (the toxicity of the fringed galerina is equivalent to the poison of the pale grebe);
gall mushrooms (resinous substances contained in the pulp of the mushroom irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines);
cobwebs (orellanin and its metabolites lead to kidney damage, disruption of RNA and DNA structures);
lepiots (cyanides rapidly attack brain cells);
fibers (muscarine and its isotropes affect the gastrointestinal tract, central and peripheral nervous system).

If harvested incorrectly and processing conditions are violated, strings and morels containing gyromitrin and gelvelic acid become toxic. Gyromitrin is resistant to thermal effects, accumulating in the body, and begins to act gradually. Excessive consumption of morels and strings is life-threatening.

The list of reasons that can lead to mushroom poisoning includes the following:

collecting unfamiliar or unfamiliar specimens;
picking mushrooms on the roadside, in close proximity to industrial enterprises, in areas of high radioactivity;
inattentive examination of parts of the mushroom: legs, caps, cap plates;
collecting wormy or rotten, old mushrooms;
biting the cap, taking a sample in its raw form;
use of low-quality packaging;
failure to comply with personal hygiene rules when picking mushrooms;
long-term (more than three hours) storage of the unprocessed product;
non-compliance with the rules of heat treatment of mushrooms;
eating stale mushrooms;
eating mushrooms with alcohol.

Certain types of mushrooms pose a danger due to their hallucinogenic components.

Mushrooms of the Psilocybe family (Psilocybe mexicanis and Psilocybe semilanceolata) contain the poison psilocin, which causes severe loss of strength and mental disorders: depressive states, delusions, hallucinations, severe suicidal tendencies.

A common cause of mushroom poisoning is the accumulation of radionuclides in the tissues of the mushroom cap (to a lesser extent, the stem), the most active of which is cesium. The most dangerous in this regard are the tubular mushrooms: Polish mushroom, butter mushroom, moss mushroom, as well as bitter mushroom and svinushka. Highly accumulating plants also include russula, milkweed, and greenfinch. The boletus, boletus, porcini mushroom, chanterelle and common boletus have an average ability to accumulate radionuclides. The safest from this point of view are honey mushrooms, variegated umbrella mushroom, pearl puffball, oyster mushroom, and champignon.

For safety reasons, mushrooms are thoroughly washed before cooking, then soaked for 24 hours in cool water. The concentration of cesium-137 is significantly reduced as a result of prolonged (up to 60 minutes) cooking with the addition of citric acid or vinegar. The broth is drained 2-3 times.

Timely familiarization with the rules of collection, storage and processing reduces the risk of mushroom poisoning by 90%.

Signs of mushroom poisoning

The timing of the manifestation of the main signs of mushroom poisoning varies depending on their type, characteristics of preparation and consumption, and the amount of toxin obtained. The first symptoms can appear within half an hour after the poison has entered the body (talker, red fly agaric), or they can make themselves felt only after a few hours (pale toadstool) and even after a week or two (lepiota, cobweb).

The clinical picture of mushroom intoxication in some cases is identical to the typical manifestations of any food poisoning:

stomach ache;
nausea and vomiting;
diarrhea;
increased body temperature;
chills, feeling of coldness in the extremities.

This symptomatology is characteristic of poisoning with the satanic mushroom, pink-plated laticifers, and sometimes russula.

Poisoning with some mushrooms has a pronounced specificity, thereby indicating a specific source of poison and simplifying the process of its detection. Specific symptoms of mushroom poisoning:

salivation, increased sweating, spasms in the bronchi, difficulty breathing, constriction of the pupil, a sharp decrease in pressure, weakness, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, coma - with intoxication with red fly agarics and talkers;
dry mucous membranes, dilated pupils, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure - symptoms of panther fly agaric poisoning;
muscle pain, pain in the abdomen, bloody stools, frequent vomiting, the consistency of which resembles coffee grounds (more than 20-25 times a day), heart and kidney failure, jaundice, coma - in case of poisoning with toadstools;
convulsions, hemolysis, kidney damage, an increase in the size of the liver and spleen, jaundice, complete or partial loss of consciousness - when eating toxic morels and strings.

The danger of mushroom poisoning is not completely eliminated by processing the product. Canned mushrooms, if stored for a long time in a closed container, can cause botulinum toxin intoxication, i.e. botulism. Containers with bulging lids should be suspicious. The following symptoms of mushroom poisoning due to violations of conservation rules are identified:

sudden nausea and vomiting;
pain and cramping in the abdomen;
intense headache;
fever;
dilated pupils;
impaired coordination of movements;
changes in consciousness.

To avoid poisoning from canned mushrooms, you should carefully follow the canning technology, monitor the hygiene of the room in which food is prepared, and do not purchase ready-made canned mushrooms at spontaneous markets or from sellers who do not have a certificate.

First aid for mushroom poisoning

At the first suspicion of possible mushroom poisoning, you should immediately call an ambulance, and then take the following emergency measures:

rinse the victim’s stomach with plenty of water (drink at least 1 liter, then press on the root of the tongue to induce vomiting, repeat until clean rinsing water appears);
in the absence of bowel movements, do a cleansing enema (some types of mushrooms cause constipation rather than diarrhea) or take a saline laxative (for example, Carlsbad salt);
take a sorbent (Activated carbon, Sorbex, Enterosgel, etc.);
give plenty of drink (still mineral water or strong sweet tea), in case of uncontrollable vomiting, give drink often, but no more than 1 tablespoon at a time;
provide the patient with peace and warmth by placing a heating pad at his feet;
provide the victim with access to fresh air.

Samples of mushroom dishes left over from consumption should be preserved to quickly determine the type of toxin.

It is not recommended to take any medications on your own (except for sorbents) before the doctor arrives. If mushroom poisoning is suspected, first aid measures should be applied to all participants in the meal. It should be kept in mind that gastric lavage at home should not be done for children under five years of age.

Mushroom poisoning requires hospital treatment. When signs such as bloody diarrhea, dry lips and palms, pale skin, blurred vision, inhibition of speech processes, and slow pulse appear, it is necessary to transport the victim to the hospital as quickly as possible. Rare types of poisons require treatment in a toxicology department specially equipped for this purpose.

Treatment of mushroom poisoning

If necessary, the ambulance team can begin providing first aid at home, taking measures to support the functions of vital organs in conditions of severe intoxication:

placement of a drip with drugs that replenish fluid loss;
administration of drugs that regulate the functioning of the heart and lungs (intramuscular or intravenous);
elimination of respiratory failure (by using a breathing mask or performing artificial ventilation);
performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (in case of clinical death).

In case of poisoning with toadstool, emergency extracorporeal detoxification is indicated.

If the patient’s condition allows, he is transported to a hospital for the earliest possible start of complex treatment. In a hospital setting, mushroom poisoning is treated in several stages:

Removing toxins from the body.
Prevention (and if the condition has developed, then treatment) of respiratory, renal, hepatic and cardiovascular failure;
Restoration of damaged body systems.

At the first stage, the patient is given a gastric lavage using a tube, a saline laxative and intravenous administration of solutions to force diuresis are prescribed. To eliminate collapse, plasma substitutes are used: Ringer's solution, isotonic sodium chloride solution, polyglucin in a volume of at least 3-5 liters per day into a vein drip. The blood is passed through sorbents until it is completely cleansed of poisons. In case of significant intoxication, a blood transfusion is performed. In case of poisoning with talker or fly agaric, in case of altered states of consciousness, an antidote (Atropine) is administered subcutaneously in an individually determined dose.

At the second stage, Mezaton or norepinephrine is used to normalize low blood pressure. In order to prevent liver damage, hydrocortisone or its analogues, broad-spectrum antibiotics, are prescribed. For heart failure, the use of Strophanthin and Korglykon is indicated.

At the final stage of treatment, a strict diet is prescribed for 1–2 weeks in order to restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. It is recommended to drink plenty of warm drinks (black tea, jelly, dried fruit compote), weak and low-fat meat broths, rice, oatmeal, buckwheat porridge with water, crackers. Coffee, cocoa, alcohol, canned food, fatty meat and fish dishes, seafood, fried eggs, raw vegetables, fruits, dairy products, butter, and confectionery are strictly prohibited.

Mushroom poisoning in children

Children, showing cognitive activity, taste objects and are not able to distinguish edible mushrooms from poisonous ones. After contact with a fly agaric or toadstool, they may touch their mouth, teeth, tongue, or pick up food or toys with dirty hands. Symptoms of mushroom poisoning appear more painful and vivid in children. In case of poisoning by edible mushrooms, the first signs appear no later than six hours later, if inedible specimens enter the child’s stomach, within a few minutes.

Mushroom poisoning in a child is characterized by the following symptoms:

sharp colicky pain in the abdomen;
severe paroxysmal vomiting;
diarrhea;
myalgia;
sudden loss of strength;
dizziness and headaches;
hypersecretion of sweat and salivary glands;
short-term, periodically recurring convulsions;
severe lethargy;
auditory or visual hallucination;
loss of consciousness.

In addition to the general symptoms characteristic of a patient of any age, in case of mushroom poisoning in children, in the process of dehydration, acetonemic syndrome occurs, associated with impaired absorption of ketone bodies. A specific ammonia odor can be heard from the patient’s mouth, as well as from his urine.

Treatment of childhood poisoning at home is unacceptable.

While waiting for medical specialists, it is necessary to perform gastric lavage (if the patient is over five years old), ensure constant drinking to avoid dehydration. During attacks of vomiting, it is necessary to ensure that the child does not choke on the vomit; to do this, the head should be supported. The victim should not be left alone while waiting for an ambulance.

Due to the fact that the chitinous layer that covers the mushroom is practically not broken down in the child’s digestive system, which is unadapted to this, the consumption of even absolutely safe and benign mushrooms as food for preschool children is not recommended. Children under twelve years of age are allowed to consume mushrooms in strictly limited quantities.

Mushroom poisoning in pregnant women

Mushroom poisoning during the perinatal period can be extremely dangerous. Some types of toxins are able to penetrate the placenta and affect the systems of the developing fetus, which can lead to pregnancy failure and miscarriage. Treatment of poisoning in pregnant women is complicated by restrictions in taking medications. The immediate threat to the mother's health is expressed in a high risk of dehydration, disruption of the water-salt balance, changes in blood characteristics, leading to its thickening and increased risk of blood clots.

In the case of a successful outcome, when a healthy placenta still prevents the penetration of the toxin into the organs and tissues of the fetus, the possibility of negative consequences of intoxication remains for it. Due to blood thickening in the mother's body, there is an increased production of the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for the contractility of the uterus. This phenomenon poses the following danger to the child:

development of hypoxia (vascular spasms and continuous uterine contractions can lead to a lack of oxygen, which will affect the formation of the central nervous system of the fetus);
premature birth (this can also be caused by uterine contractions);
the formation of secondary pathology (disorders of the cardiovascular, central nervous, excretory systems, in extreme cases leading to intrauterine fetal death).

Mushroom poisoning in the elderly

Mushroom poisoning in older people is less severe than in children. With the limitation of the body's compensatory capabilities, there is a lack of resources to independently overcome painful conditions. At the same time, in elderly people, mushroom poisoning is complicated by an increased load on the kidneys and liver (up to the development of kidney and liver failure). Against the background of existing diseases of these organs, severe intoxication can cause the rapid death of the patient.

Complications and consequences

The consequences of mushroom poisoning vary widely: from gastroenteritis and intestinal dysfunction to acute pathologies of the blood, central nervous system, respiratory system, and the development of heart failure.

If first aid is not provided in a timely manner or treatment in a hospital is refused, death from poisoning with pale toadstools occurs in 90% of cases, and with fly agarics in 50% of cases. A dose of 1-2 mushrooms is considered fatal.

Kidney failure caused by intense intoxication can also cause death.

If symptoms of poisoning are quickly detected and a full course of treatment is carried out, severe consequences for the body are usually not observed.

Prevention of mushroom poisoning

a thorough study of the types of mushrooms, their external characteristics under the guidance of experienced mushroom pickers or with the help of specialized reference books;
ignoring all unfamiliar, suspicious, unusual specimens that raise even slight doubts;
collecting mushrooms in places remote from large industrial enterprises, in environmentally friendly natural areas;
carrying the collected product in a bucket or basket (not in a plastic bag);
refusal to eat raw mushrooms;
thorough heat treatment according to culinary rules for each type of mushroom;
refusal to store mushrooms in clay, aluminum or galvanized containers;
high-quality supervision of children in the forest, monitoring their compliance with personal hygiene rules;
washing hands when in contact with poisonous mushrooms;
compliance with the rules of conservation and subsequent storage of mushroom dishes.

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