poison fire coral

Several poisonings have been reported in Japan resulting from the consumption of the fungus. In 1999, one of a group of five people from Niigata Prefecture died two days after consuming one or two grams of fruit body that had been soaked in sake. In 2000, an individual from Gunma Prefecture died after eating the fried mushroom. Symptoms associated with consumption in these cases include gastroenteritis, hemophagocytosis, leukocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, peeling skin on the face and hands, scalp hair loss, and damage to the cerebellum resulting in speech impediment and problems with voluntary movement. In another instance, an autopsy revealed acute kidney and liver damage with associated disseminated intravascular coagulation. In one case of poisoning, the patient suffered from hemophagocytosis, in addition to severe leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia, seven days after ingesting the fungus. Plasmapheresis and administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor were used to treat the blood abnormalities. The authors suggested that these treatments, in addition to the large volume of administered intravenous saline—9 liters (2.0 imp gal; 2.4 U.S. gal) over a 12-hour period—were responsible for his successful recovery. Human poisoning symptoms are similar to those observed previously with livestock that had consumed trichothecene mycotoxins. …