A decade of wild mushroom poisoning: Clinical and laboratory insights from Northern Iran

Wild mushroom poisoning remains a significant public health concern in regions where foraging is common. Limited long-term data exist for northern Iran, despite its high-risk ecological and cultural context. The present study aims to characterize the clinical and laboratory features of patients hospitalized for mushroom poisoning over a ten-year period in northern Iran. This descriptive cross-sectional study reviewed all cases of confirmed wild mushroom poisoning admitted to the Toxicology Department of Razi Hospital, Rasht, Iran, from March 2012 to March 2022. Data on demographics, medical history, exposure characteristics, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and outcomes were collected from hospital records and analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 165 patients were included (mean age 44.57 ± 16.02 years; 50.9% male). Housewives (43.0%) and self-employed individuals (29.1%) were the most affected occupational groups. Most patients (60.6%) resided in urban areas. The mean time from ingestion to hospital presentation was 9.01 ± 10.71 hours. Vomiting (90.9%) and nausea (73.3%) were the most frequent symptoms. Laboratory tests showed variable hepatic involvement, with mean AST and ALT levels of 45.72 ± 94.95 U/L and 44.02 ± 93.30 U/L, respectively. The mean length of hospital stay was 1.93 ± 1.45 days. Four patients (2.4%) died, 97.6% recovered and were discharged. Wild mushroom poisoning in northern Iran affects a wide demographic spectrum and is characterized predominantly by early gastrointestinal symptoms. Although most patients recover, the potential for severe hepatotoxicity and mortality underscores the need for preventive education, and careful inpatient monitoring to detect delayed complications.