Ergotism

Ergotism
Ergotism
Other names	Saint Anthony's fire, ergotoxicosis
	Advanced ergotism with gangrene
Specialty	Emergency medicine
Symptoms	Convulsive ergotism: spasms, diarrhea, paresthesias, mania, psychosis, headaches, nausea, vomiting; Gangrenous ergotism: desquamation, weak peripheral pulses, loss of peripheral sensation, edema;
Types	Convulsive, gangrenous
Causes	Long-term ergot poisoning

Ergotism (pron. /ˈɜːrɡətˌɪzəm/ UR-gət-iz-əm) is the effect of long-term ergot poisoning, traditionally due to the ingestion of the alkaloids produced by the Claviceps purpurea fungus—from the Latin clava "club" or clavus "nail" and -ceps for "head", i.e. the purple club-headed fungus—that infects rye and other cereals, and more recently by the action of a number of ergoline-based drugs. It is also known as ergotoxicosis, ergot poisoning, and Saint Anthony's fire.

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