Mushroom poisoning emergency diagnostics – course

I attended the, “Pilzvergiftung-Notfallsdiagnostik” mushroom poising emergency diagnostics course, which was part of the “Pilzsachverständigen” mushroom expert training (module II). The course was held as a cooperation between the Bavarian Mycological Society (BMG) and the Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG). The course was led by Dr. Christoph Hahn, President of the Bavarian Mycological Society.

This course focused on isolating, preparing and analyzing mushroom fragments from food leftovers or processed mushrooms, especially in the context of mushroom poisoning. The main points were:

1. Isolation and purification of fungal fragments

Separation of fungal fragments from prepared dishes: techniques to extract fungal remains from meals or cleaning residues.
Cleaning of samples: Removal of fat, starch and spices or other contaminants created during the preparation of the meal.

2. Preparation for microscopic examination

“Zupfpräparate” Plucking preparations: As the consistency of cooked or fried mushroom fragments is often soft, simple preparations are sufficient.
Microscopic preparation: Techniques to make specimens clearly visible, including the use of stains or specific dissecting agents.

3. Interpretation of fungal structures under the microscope

Recognition of characteristic features: Identification of important microscopic structures such as spores, hyphae, cystids or other cell types that allow identification.
Modification of characteristics through preparation: Analysis of how cooking, frying or other preparation methods influence the structure or appearance of fungal characteristics.

4. Taxonomic classification

Determining or narrowing down the type of mushroom: Developing the ability to identify the mushrooms genus or if possible mushroom species.
Use of morphological clues: Applying knowledge of macro- and microscopic features to draw conclusions about the genus of fungi.

5. Practical experience in handling specimens

Working with complex specimens: Dealing with ‘difficult’ materials such as heavily processed, cooked or mixed food leftovers.
Systematic approach: Step-by-step approach to prepare a sample for microscopic examination.

Summary of learning objectives

In-depth knowledge of the cleaning and microscopic preparation of fungal samples.
Development of skills to interpret fungal structures under the microscope, even under difficult conditions.
Ability to recognize altered structures through cooking and to include them in the determination.
The ability to help poison control centres and doctors identify potentially deadly poisonous mushrooms and thus enable rapid, correct treatment.

The text was written in English and then automatically translated.