Poisonous mushrooms are causing an outbreak of serious illness that’s killed one adult and caused severe liver damage in 21 children and adults in the Bay Area and Monterey since mid-November, health officials say. The fungi known as “death cap mushrooms” present such a high risk that the Department of Public Health on Friday issued an “urgent advisory” encouraging the public to temporarily avoid foraging for and eating any wild mushrooms. “Death cap mushrooms contain potentially deadly toxins that can lead to liver failure,” said Dr. Erica Pan, state public health officer. “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.” “Significant clusters” of the dangerous mushrooms have been reported in the Monterey and San Francisco Bay Areas, although there is risk statewide, the health agency said.
The death cap (Amanita phalloides) can easily be mistaken for safe, edible mushrooms due to their similar appearance and taste, health officials said. “Cooking, boiling, drying, or freezing these mushrooms does NOT make them safe to eat,” the health agency said. First symptoms of poisoning — including watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dehydration — can occur within 6 to 24 hours after eating the mushroom and usually go away within a day. “However, this brief improvement can be deceptive, as patients may still develop serious to fatal liver damage within 48 to 96 hours after eating the mushrooms,” the health department said. As of Friday, the California Poison Control System at (800) 222-1222 identified 21 cases of suspected mushroom poisoning since mid-November. Several patients have required intensive care, with at least one person potentially needing a liver transplant and one adult fatality, the state said.
Death cap mushrooms are found in many parts of California, particularly near oaks and other hardwood trees, including pine trees. Rain in the fall and winter months create ideal conditions for their growth, the state said.
I hope the patients are not our ‘unhoused neighbors’ trying to be self sufficient and finding their own food sources. We should provide government supervised gardens to prevent the issue.:)
Really not concerned about our “unhoused neighbors” they help themselves to whatever they want…
Asian immigrants are particularly vulnerable to these mushrooms, because they appear very similar to edible mushrooms where they grew up.
Most Americans, including the homeless, know not to gather wild mushrooms. Southeast
Asian and East European immigrants gather the deadly mushrooms because they look
like an edible species from their homeland. If activists and politicians want to protect their immigrant neighbors, they should make it a point to educate them about wild mushrooms.
This is also a good reason not to buy street food from an unlicensed vendor.
Some strange company is making weird coffee outa mushrooms now.
Watch out when you’re walking your dog too!
Some dogs (like my little min pin) will pick up anything & everything that catches their eye.
No magic in these shrooms.
I’ve heard it’s a wonderful last meal because Amanita phalloides are supposed to taste delicious!