Epidemiology and clinical aspects of edible mushroom-related paediatric poisonings in Italy: 10-year retrospective study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2531-7342/21730Keywords:
poisonous edible mushrooms, treatment, outcome, Milan Poison Control Centre, childrenAbstract
Intoxications caused by mushrooms (mycetisms) account for only 2% of the total toxicological consultations that the Milan Poison Control Centre receives and manages every year, but they are certainly the most challenging, both because they are potentially very dangerous and for the simultaneous involvement of multiple subjects, especially when patients are of paediatric age. The present retrospective study aims to analyse epidemiological data and the clinical course of edible mushroom poisonings in Italy. Only intoxications caused by edible mushrooms in paediatric patients were selected. Age information was missing for patients involved in collective exposures, so it is noticeable that the collected data are only a minority of real cases. The average number of vitamins, proteins and mineral salts in mushrooms is negligible, from a nutritional point of view; therefore, the results of our study show that it is preferable to avoid their consumption in children. In order to have more accurate data on the extent of mushroom-related problems in children, a nationwide homogeneous statistical survey is needed.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Francesca Assisi, Sara Cordoni, Martina Ghezzi, Ilaria Rebutti, Andrea Stella, Alfredo Vizzini
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