An outbreak of non-fatal mushroom poisoning with Omphalotus olearius among Syrian refugees in Izmir, Turkey

Bal A., Anil M., Yilmaz I., AKATA I., Atilla O. D.

TOXIN REVIEWS, vol.35, no.1-2, pp.1-3, 2016 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 35 Issue: 1-2
  • Publication Date: 2016
  • Doi Number: 10.3109/15569543.2016.1169548
  • Journal Name: TOXIN REVIEWS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.1-3
  • Keywords: Omphalotus olearius, Jack o'lantern mushroom, Syrian refugee, non-fatal, poisoning
  • Ankara University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Outbreak of mushroom poisoning is uncommon in Izmir, Turkey. We report an outbreak of mushroom poisoning with Omphalotus olearius in Syrian refugees. Nineteen patients (median age: 7.8 year; age range: 2-52 years; 16 female, 3 male) were admitted to the adult and pediatric emergency departments of Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, due to vomiting and abdominal pain within 2h after eating mushrooms. Transaminase levels were moderately elevated only in one patient. The symptoms disappeared in 8h after admission. We present 19 Syrian refugees poisoning with O. olearius mushroom because of its rarity. In our opinion, this outbreak was a good example that how refugees can change the disease profile in emergency practice.