Health officials in California are urging people to stop eating wild, foraged mushrooms after a spike in amatoxin poisoning that has caused severe liver damage in both children and adults and left one person dead.
Since mid-November, 21 cases of toxic mushroom poisoning have been identified, most likely from eating death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said in a news release on Friday, Dec. 5. Several patients required intensive care, at least one person may need a liver transplant, and one adult has died, according to the agency.
“Death cap mushrooms contain potentially deadly toxins that can lead to liver failure,” said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH director and state public health officer, in the release. “Because the death cap can easily be mistaken for edible safe mushrooms, we advise the public not to forage for wild mushrooms at all during this high-risk season.”
Although clusters of cases have been reported in the Monterey and San Francisco Bay Areas, officials warn that the risk extends across the state. On Monday, Dec. 1, the County of Monterey Health Department announced that local hospitals have seen an increase in illnesses linked to eating poisonous wild mushrooms.
Wild mushrooms — those not grown by commercial producers — are especially dangerous because they can closely resemble edible varieties in both appearance and taste. The CDPH stressed that “cooking, boiling, drying or freezing” poisonous mushrooms does not make them safe to eat.
“Some poisonous wild mushrooms look and smell like edible types of mushrooms,” said Dr. Edward Moreno, health officer for the County of Monterey, in a statement. “Only people with extensive training and experience should eat wild mushrooms that they have picked themselves.”
People who unintentionally consume toxic mushrooms may develop diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dehydration within six to 24 hours after eating them, according to the CDPH. Even if these symptoms fade within about a day, serious — and potentially fatal — liver damage can still occur 48 to 96 hours after ingestion.
Death cap mushrooms grow in several regions of California, particularly near hardwood trees. Rainy fall and winter weather creates ideal conditions for them to thrive, the CDPH noted.
“Given the grave risk posed by consuming these toxic mushrooms, CDPH strongly advises the public to avoid foraging wild mushrooms,” the agency added, “and to only consume mushrooms purchased from reputable stores or known commercial sources.”
For questions related to poisoning, residents can contact the California Poison Control System’s Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222
