Rise in cases of mushroom poisoning

One person has died two more have needed liver transplants after eating poisonous mushrooms since July, it has been revealed.

In total, 32 people have been treated for severe fungal infection at the 10 poison centres in France since the start of the annual surveillance period. The annual average number of people treated for severe poisoning during the season is 20, the Direction générale de la santé (DGS) reported.

The DGS said that it had received 1,179 reports of mushroom poisoning in the three months to October.

Of the 32 who required specialist treatment, 20 were suffering phalloidin poisoning, which causes severe digestive disorders, and can lead to liver failure if it is not quickly diagnosed.

The DGS reminded wild mushroom pickers to take their mushrooms to a pharmacist for identification before eating them - and urged anyone who suffers shaking, vision problems, nausea, or vomiting within 12 hours of eating wild mushrooms to immediately call emergency services - the SAMU (Service d'aide médical urgente) by dialling 15 - or one of 10 anti-poison centres across France.
Taking photographs of any wild mushroom before it is used in cooking can help poison control staff identify the fungus and adapt necessary medical treatment accordingly, a spokesperson said.