[Acute renal insufficiency caused by Amanita proxima poisoning: experience of the Poison Center of Marseille].

In southern France, some Amanita species are usually eaten like Amanita ovoidea (Quélet, 1872) which is a common white mushroom. In same areas, a similar and less common fungus can be encountered: Amanita proxima (Dumee, 1916). The first published cases of Amanita proxima poisonings with acute renal failure have been reported in 1994 by a medical team from Montpellier. A second article was published in 1995 by physicians from Marseille. In order to evaluate the importance of the confusion between the 2 species, we looked after these mushroom poisonings collected by the Poison Centre of Marseille. We found 31 cases concerning 53 patients. We observed the first intoxication in 1968. Poisonings took place in the south of Provence. Ingestions are in 26 cases (83% of the 31 cases) due to the confusion with Amanita ovoidea. The average delay between the meal and the first signs was 13 hours and 12 minutes. All patients had gastro-intestinal symptoms, and for 14 of them, oliguria or anuria appeared in a few days after ingestion. 11 patients needed temporary dialysis, and for 10 of them, moderate hepatic cytolysis was observed. The severity of symptoms seems to be dose-dependent: we collected cases in the same family with no signs after just tasting the meal, digestive symptoms only when patients at more, and renal failure for the hungry people.