California warns against foraging after deadly mushroom outbreak
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Health officials in California warned the public about foraging for mushrooms after a deadly outbreak hit the central part of the state this week.
The California Poison Control System has identified at least 21 cases of amatoxin poisoning, which caused the death of one adult and severe liver damage in several people, including children.
Even a liver transplant may be needed.
The poisoning was probably caused by the Death cap mushroom, which is easily confused with edible mushrooms. Authorities also warned to be careful against the destructive angel mushroom, which also grows in California.
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This undated photo provided by the California Department of Health shows a death cap mushroom. (California Department of Health via AP)
Residents of California’s Monterey County fell ill after eating mushrooms found in a local park, and there was another outbreak in the San Francisco area.
The poison center said symptoms can range from mild to moderate, depending on how much of the mushroom was consumed, and can include stomach cramping, diarrhea, nausea, organ failure and liver damage, and in rare cases, death.
The poison control center warned that serious complications, including liver damage, could occur even if gastrointestinal symptoms improve.
Health officials in California warned the public about foraging for mushrooms after a deadly outbreak hit the central part of the state this week. (Philippe Huguen/AFP via Getty Images)
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“Death mushrooms contain potentially lethal toxins that can lead to liver failure,” Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We advise the public not to seek out wild mushrooms during this high-risk season, as the lethal limit can easily be confused with safe edible mushrooms.”
Mushrooms grow abundantly during California’s rainy season, which runs from October to March, but the poison control center warns that “eating the wrong wild mushrooms can cause serious illness and even death.”
A destructive angel mushroom. (Dea/P. Puccinelli/De Agostini via Getty Images)
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Hundreds of poisonings are reported to the center every year, many of which cause severe illness and sometimes death.
Half of the nearly 4,500 mushroom poisonings reported across the U.S. in 2023 occurred in children who were able to pick and eat mushrooms while playing outside, according to the National Poison Data System annual report.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
