California officials are sounding the alarm on mushroom foraging after an outbreak of amatoxin poisoning linked to death‑cap mushrooms was reported. The state poison‑control network has confirmed 21 cases, one adult death, and several patients—some children—in intensive care, one of whom may soon need a liver transplant.
“Death cap mushrooms contain potentially deadly toxins that can lead to liver failure,” said Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health. “Because the death cap can easily be mistaken for edible mushrooms, we advise the public not to forage for wild mushrooms at all during this high‑risk season.”
Wet weather has fueled the spread of these lethal fungi, and officials urge the public to stay away from gathering mushrooms outside. In central California, residents in Monterey County fell ill after eating mushrooms picked in a local park, while additional cases emerged in the San Francisco Bay Area. The health department stresses that the danger exists statewide.
In 2023, America’s Poison Centers logged more than 4,500 exposures to unidentified mushrooms, roughly half of which involved young children who may sample one while playing. California’s poison‑control system typically handles hundreds of wild‑mushroom poisoning events each year. The most dangerous species—the death cap and the “destroying angel”—look and taste very similar to edible varieties, so color is not a reliable clue and cooking does not neutralize the poison.
People who consume toxic mushrooms often experience stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting within a day. Even if these gastrointestinal symptoms ease, dangerous complications such as liver damage can develop later. Anyone needing help identifying or treating mushroom poisoning should call the poison‑control hotline at 1‑800‑222‑1222.
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