The Republic of Macedonia is mycologically relatively insufficiently investigated. The systematic research on fungi that has been conducted so far is rather scarce. Since recently there has been a clearer picture of the fungi in certain regions of the country (Pelister, Jakupica, Galichica, Kozhuf, Shar Mountain, etc.). On the basis of the investigation done up to now, the presence of 707 macromycetes species in Macedonia has been confirmed. Forty-three of them belong to the class of Ascomycetes, whereas 664 belong to the class of Basidiomycetes. In the latter, most of the species are from the orders Aphyllophorales (353) and Agaricales (273).
Sixty-nine species of the registered macromycetes have more or less a toxic impact on the human organism.
From the species containing phalloidous toxins (phallotoxins and amatoxins) and causing phalloidous syndrome in Macedonia are found: Amanita phalloides, A. verna, A. virosa, Galerina autumnalis, G. marginata, G. venenata, Lepiota brunneo-incarnata, L. castanea, L. helveola, L. josserandii and L. ochraceofulva. The syndrom shows 20-30% lethality and participates with 90-95% of the mycetisms with a lethal outcome.
Species from the complex genus Cortinarius (C. orellanus, C. speciosissimus and C. splendens) produce orellanine syndrom (lethality 10-15%).
From the species containing the thermo-labile mycotoxin gyromitrine, the following are present in MK: Gyromitra esculenta, G. gigas and G. infula. It has 30% lethality.
The muscarinic syndrom (lethality 8%) is caused by fungi from a number of genera. This includes representatives of the genera Inocybe (I. patouillardi, I. fastigiata, I. umbrina), Clitocybe (C. cerussata, C. dealbata, C. candicans, C. rivulosa) and Amanita (A. muscaria). A similar one to this syndrom, but with lesser lethality (2%), is the pantherine syndrom produced by the frequent fungus Amanita pantherina.
A large number of fungi are gastrointestinal irritants. They seldom cause death, and the symptoms usually disappear in a few minutes up to 4 hours. This group includes representatives from various fungi genera existing in Macedonia: Agaricus (A. silvicola, A. xanthodermus), Boletus (B. luridus, B. satanas), Entoloma (E. lividum, E. nidorosum, E. rhodopolium), Hebeloma (H. sinapizans, H. crustuliniforme), Lactarius (L. chrysorheus, L. glaucescens, L. helvus, L. rufus, L. scrobiculatus, L. torminosus, L. uvidus), Lepiota (L. clypeolaria, L. cristata, L. naucina), Naematoloma fasciculare, Paxilus involutus, Pholiota (Ph. aurea, Ph. squarosa), Albatrelus cristatus, Meripilus giganteus, Phaeolus schweinitzii, Laetiporus sulphureus, Ramaria formosa, Russula emetica, Scleroderma aurantium, Tricholoma (T. pardinum, T. nudum, T. saponaceum, T. sulphureum, T. sejunctum) and Verpa bohemica.
Of the species causing a coprinus syndrom (appearing in 5-10 minutes after the consuming if in the last 24 hours the person has consumed alcohol) in Macedonia are found Coprinus atramentarius, Coprinus micaceus and Clitocybe clavipes.
Of the hallucinogenic fungi (producing the syndrom psilocybine), the following species are registered: Psilocybe (P. cyanescens, P. caerulescens), Panaeolus sphinctrinus, Conocybe cyanopus and Gymnopilus aeruginosus.
However, this is not a final list of the toxic fungi in the Republic of Macedonia, and there are only a small number of localities of most of the species. The further investigation into the fungi biodiversity of Macedonia would contribute for a more complete picture of the distribution of these organisms, and would ascertain the precise number of toxic species.