The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers to avoid wild mushrooms. Four Californians died in November from the poisonous fungi. Seasonal rains are promoting mushroom growth, so collectors are out in full force. Dr. Ron Chapman, director of CDPH said, “It is very difficult to distinguish which mushrooms are dangerous and which are safe to eat. Consuming wild mushrooms can cause serious illness and even death.”
According to the California Poison Control System, 1,602 cases of mushroom ingestion were reported in that state from January 2011 through November 2012. In that time period, five people died, eighteen suffered severe health complications, such as liver or kidney failure, and thirty were admitted to a hospital intensive care unit.
The mushrooms that caused the most serious illness include Amanita ocreata, or “destroying angel”, and Amanita phalloides, known as “death cap”. Eating poisonous mushrooms can cause cramps, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, If you have developed these symptoms after eating wild mushrooms, see your doctor immediately. The doctor should contact CPCS at 1-800-222-1222.
