Nachweis von Pilzvergiftungen durch Anreicherung der Pilzsporen aus Mageninhalt und Stuhl

Summary

There are only a few papers to be found in the literature dealing with the positive proof of mushroom poisonings. The toxins of deadly amanitas (amanita phalloides, verna, virosa) can be found in mushroom dishes and eventually in the vomit by using paper- and thin layer chromatography (Wielandet al., Tyieret al.). Whether positive findings of toxins in liver tissue are really possible is still to be investigated. Hardly any practicable method of testing the toxins of other poisonous mushrooms is available.

We have been studying to what extend the mushroom spore analysis is suitable in assertaining or rejecting a mushroom poisoning. First we observed in numerous cases of mushroom poisoning that in samples of vomit and feces only a few mushroom spores could be detected, which were difficult to identify because of the accompanying substances. For this reason we worked out a concentrating method for the mushroom spores, in which we reached a high grade of concentration. The preparations were free of accompanying substances and contained spores of the various mushrooms present. First the spores are concentrated in the sediment of watery suspensions then on the surface of a solvent with high specific weight (glycerine).

In personal tests with edible mushrooms we observed that 4 or 5 days after eating the spores could be found in traces in the feces. Possible changes caused by the preparation or the influence of the human digestive tract were not evident.

The concentrating method was then applied in a number of poisoning cases where mushrooms had been ingested. In all cases spores were found in the stomach and intestinal contents as well as in the vomit and the feces.

By consultation of a spore atlas and comparable preparations the spores can be associated with the different mushrooms respectively their families. We have to point out that the spores of certain mushrooms are quite similar. The spores of the highly poisonous amanita phalloides verna, virosa can hardly be differentiated from the harmless amanita mappa Batsch and the non toxic amanita porphyrea.

With consideration of the anamnesis and the clinical and pathological findings the result of spore analysis have capability to confirm or exclude a suspected mushroom poisoning.

Zusammenfassung

Nach einem kurzen Überblick über den Nachweis von Pilzvergiftungen wird ein Anreicherungsverfahren für Pilzsporen aus Magen- und Darminhalt sowie Stuhl beschrieben. Mit dem Verfahren kann eine intensive, saubere und schnelle Anreicherung erzielt werden, so daß auch nach Tagen der Nachweis einer Aufnahme von eßbaren bzw. giftigen Pilzen möglich ist.