Amatoxin Mushroom Toxicity

Excerpt

Amatoxin containing mushrooms are a rare but significant cause of acute fulminant liver failure. However, not all Amanita species have this toxin, and other mushroom species besides Amanita have the amatoxin. (Table) Ninety-five percent of deaths from mushroom ingestions worldwide are from amatoxin-containing mushrooms.

Amatoxin containing mushroom species

Amanita group:

1. Amanita phalloides (Death Cap)

2. Amanita virosa (Destroying Angel)

3. Amanita verna (Fool’s Mushroom)

4. Amanita ocreata

5. Amanita bisporigera

6. Amanita suballiacea

Lepiota group:

1. Lepiota helveola

2. Lepiota chlorophyllum

3. Lepiota brunneolilacea

4. Lepiota josserandi

5. Lepiota fulvella

6. Lepiota subincarnata

7. Lepiota brunneoincarnata

Miscellaneous:

1. Galerina autumnalis (Autumn skullcap)

2. Galerina venenata

3. Galerina sulcipes

4. Conocybe filaris

Certain mushrooms frequently are mistaken for an edible mushroom when people are foraging. Amanita phalloides (Death cap), the species associated with the most fatalities, often are mistaken for the paddy straw mushroom.

Both Agaricus volvacea, and Amanita bisporigera may be mistaken for edible, non-toxic Lepiota naucina.