[How poisonous is the Dutch wildlife?].

Recent publications on fatal cases of mushroom poisoning and wasp's stings in the Netherlands raised the question how poisonous the Dutch wildlife is. In this article I focus on plants, berries, mushrooms and animals. The annual reports of the National Poison Control Center provide the number of consultations related to mushroom poisoning, toxic plants and animals. The majority of consultations concerns contact with toxic plants in gardens and indoors. In three-quarter of the cases the patient is a child (0-12 years). Serious mushroom poisoning occurs mainly in adults who mistook a poisonous mushroom for an edible one. Although snake bites are reported in the Netherlands, most of these are due to exotic snakes kept in indoor terraria. Fatal reactions to wasp's stings are due to anaphylactic reactions. All in all, poisoning is rare and the Dutch countryside can be considered a safe place.