California officials are warning foragers of a poisoning outbreak linked to wild mushrooms that has killed one adult and caused severe liver damage in several patients, including children.
The state's poison control system has identified 21 cases of amatoxin poisoning likely caused by the deadly fungus, the health department said Friday. Poisonous forest mushrooms are often mistaken for edible mushrooms due to their appearance and taste.
“Death cap mushrooms contain potentially fatal toxins that can lead to liver failure,” Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “Because death caps can easily be mistaken for edible, harmless mushrooms, we advise the public not to collect wild mushrooms at all during this high-risk season.”
One adult died and several patients required intensive care, including at least one who may require a liver transplant.
Wet weather promotes the growth of deadly fungi, and officials caution against any search for wild mushrooms to avoid confusion. Residents of Monterey County in central California fell ill after eating mushrooms found in a local park, county health officials said. Another cluster of cases occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area, but state health officials warned the risk was everywhere.
More than 4,500 exposures to unidentified fungi have been reported in the area. American Poison Control Centers in 2023, according to the National Poison Data System's annual report. About half of them are young children, who experts warn may pick and eat mushrooms while playing outside.
California's poison control system records hundreds of cases of wild mushroom poisoning each year. Deathcap and destroying angel mushrooms are similar in appearance and taste to edible mushrooms, so experts caution that a mushroom's color is not a reliable way to determine its toxicity. It doesn't matter whether it is eaten raw or cooked.
People may experience stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting within 24 hours of eating the toxic mushroom. Although gastrointestinal symptoms may improve, health officials warn that patients may still develop serious complications, including liver damage, that appear later.
People who need advice on diagnosing or treating mushroom poisoning can call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222.
