An urgent advisory warning people against eating foraged mushrooms was issued by the California Department of Public Health on Friday due to recent amatoxin poisonings.
As of Friday, there were 21 poisonings confirmed by the California Poison Control System linked to eating wild, foraged mushrooms, such as death caps, the CDPH said.
One case resulted in death, and several other patients, including children and adults, have suffered severe liver damage, the CDPH said. A liver transplant may even be needed for at least one of the patients.
The CDPH said the poisonings were reported in clusters in the Monterey area and Bay Area. However, the risk of poisoning is statewide as rain during the fall and winter months creates beneficial growth conditions for death caps.
They can typically be found near oaks and other hardwood trees, including pine trees, and are easily mistaken for safe, edible mushrooms. But neither cooking, boiling, drying or freezing them will render them safe to eat, the CDPH said.
Symptoms such as watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dehydration can begin between six to 24 hours after eating one, and it’s possible symptoms will go away after a day, but the CDPH warns the recovery is “deceptive.”
“Patients may still develop serious to fatal liver damage within 48 to 96 hours after eating the mushrooms,” the CDPH said.
“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,” said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer.
The CDPH advises people to buy mushrooms from reputable stores or known commercial sources.
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