California health officials are warning residents not to eat wild mushrooms after a sudden surge in deadly varieties helped fuel the state's worst mushroom poisoning outbreak in a decade.
According to Local News Matters, the spike has been tied to a late, unusual growth of Death Caps and Western Destroying Angels that have also appeared in the Bay Area.
As of Friday, the California Department of Public Health has logged 50 poisonings tied to mushrooms since November. Four people have died. That makes this the state's most severe outbreak in 10 years.
The last worst year was 2016 with 14 cases, while a normal year usually sees fewer than five poisonings. Beyond the deaths, the outbreak has badly injured the livers of both children and adults, and four patients have required transplants.
Some of the initial symptoms after ingestion include watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dehydration. And while the symptoms may go away quickly, health officials warn that it can still progress into severe liver damage.
An unusual late-season resurgence of Death Caps and Western Destroying Angels appears to be playing a role in the number of cases. These mushrooms would usually be fading by now, but recent rains may have extended their season.
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California officials said the risk of potentially deadly amatoxin poisoning is "extremely high" and warned that "recent rains are suspected to be a contributing factor of this unusual resurgence beyond their typical growing season."
These mushrooms can look almost identical to edible species, raising the risk for casual foragers, hikers, home cooks, and anyone who assumes a familiar-looking mushroom is safe to eat. The danger also doesn't go away in the kitchen. The toxic effect remains even if the mushrooms are cooked, boiled, frozen, or dried.
The CDPH noted it is coordinating with the California Poison Control System and local health partners to educate the public, track cases, and work with local health care providers for investigations.
A mushroom that might seem out of season can still appear after unusual weather. State health officials have told the public not to harvest or eat wild mushrooms during this outbreak.
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In addition to avoiding wild mushrooms, the department is advising residents to only shop at trusted stores and to keep children and pets away from them while outside.
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