One dead, several hospitalized after eating wild mushrooms in Calif.

Officials from the California Department of Public Health are advising the public to avoid foraging for wild mushrooms this season after one death and several hospitalizations were linked to their consumption. 

Twenty-one cases of toxic mushroom poisoning, including one fatality, have been reported in California beginning in mid-November, the department announced in a news release Friday. Several of these cases resulted in patients needing intensive care, and at least one person may require a liver transplant. Severe liver damage has been reported in both adults and young people, according to the release.

The poisonings were likely related to the accidental consumption of death cap mushrooms, or Amanita phalloides, the department said. While the mushrooms pose a risk statewide, the Bay Area and Monterey regions saw significant clusters of mushroom poisoning cases. 

“Death cap mushrooms contain potentially deadly toxins that can lead to liver failure,” Dr. Erica Pan, the department’s director, said in the release. “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.”

The death cap mushroom is responsible for more deaths worldwide than any other mushroom, according to the Bay Area Mycological Society. Though it isn’t native to California, the mushroom is found throughout the state, as it thrives near live oak trees. The mushrooms can grow at any point during the year, but tend to be most abundant in the fall and winter rainy seasons, and in other damp conditions. 

Initial symptoms of wild mushroom poisoning include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dehydration, according to the Department of Public Health’s release. These symptoms are often followed by a brief period of improvement before potentially deadly liver damage occurs. 

The department is advising health care providers to call the California Poison Control System at 1-800-222-1222 for guidance about treating patients who may be experiencing mushroom poisoning.