The bright red streaks on the back of a 23-year-old woman initially baffled doctors. It was later discovered that the rash might have been linked to the popular shiitake mushrooms.
Shiitake mushrooms / © Associated Press
In the USA, a 23-year-old woman sought medical attention for an unusual rash on her back, which doctors initially couldn’t explain. It was later found that the reaction could have occurred after consuming shiitake mushrooms.
This was reported by Live Science.
A patient from Florida visited the emergency department due to an itchy rash that had persisted for two days. Initially, separate inflamed areas appeared on her upper back. The woman was prescribed treatment, but the rash did not disappear; instead, it spread to her lower back.
Subsequently, bright red, irregularly shaped streaks formed on her skin, resembling whip marks. During examination, doctors found numerous linear lesions, but the rash was not accompanied by blisters or peeling. Other areas of her body were unaffected.
The medical professionals also noted that the woman did not exhibit typical symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. She did not complain of difficulty breathing, throat swelling, joint pain, digestive issues, or neurological symptoms. Her body temperature was only slightly elevated to 37.3 °C, while other indicators remained within normal limits.
Doctors began to rule out possible causes of the rash. The patient stated she had not used any new cosmetic products or cleaning agents, had not been bitten by insects, and had not taken any medications other than those prescribed at the emergency department. She also had no history of autoimmune diseases.
During further questioning, the woman recalled eating shiitake mushrooms the day before the symptoms appeared. This helped doctors establish the diagnosis: shiitake dermatitis, a rare reaction characterized by a distinct striped rash.
The case report indicates that the condition was first described by Japanese researcher Takehiko Nakamura in 1977. At that time, the lesions were termed “flagellate dermatitis” due to the characteristic appearance of the rash.
It is believed that lentinan, a substance found in shiitake mushrooms, may be responsible for the reaction. In some individuals, it can trigger inflammatory processes by activating the immune response. Researchers have also previously linked similar cases to the consumption of raw or insufficiently cooked mushrooms.
Doctors advised the woman to continue treatment with topical agents to reduce inflammation and with medications for allergic reactions. At the time, the patient was breastfeeding and was concerned whether the rash would affect her breast milk. The medical staff assured her that she could safely continue breastfeeding.
The symptoms gradually subsided and completely disappeared in about three weeks. Later, the woman reported that she continued to eat shiitake mushrooms, but the rash did not recur.
According to the report’s authors, shiitake dermatitis is considered a rare occurrence, with approximately 100 similar cases documented in medical literature. Most of these have been recorded in Asia, while such reactions are significantly less common in the USA and European countries.
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