Britt Jones
Seven people have been rushed to hospital following a potential mushroom poisoning that has no cure.
The incident happened in California, US, where KSBW reported that the white cap mushrooms had been ingested on 3 December.
Salinas Valley Health is one of the hospitals that treated some of those infected, per a Facebook post, which said they were hospitalised after 'consuming wild poisonous mushrooms foraged in Monterey County'.
"Health officials warn wild mushrooms should not be consumed," the post warned.
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"Eating poisonous mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, cramping, vomiting and diarrhea. People who develop these symptoms after eating wild mushrooms should seek immediate medical attention. In some instances, consuming poisonous mushrooms can lead to liver damage and death."
Dr Kimberly Moulton, an emergency medicine physician at the hospital, told KSBW that there is ‘no antidote’ for the mushroom poisoning, and that things could get serious depending on the conditions of the patients.
She said: “There's no antidote to these poisonings; we have protocols that we can use to try to treat it, we can use medications, procedures, the sickest patients may end up needing a liver transplant.”
Just this year, the Salinas Valley Health location treated three people for acute hepatotoxicity after consuming mushrooms they had purchased at a supermarket store parking lot.
Just two days prior to the 3 December incident, the County of Monterey Health Department announced health risks posed by consuming wild mushrooms.
The announcement revealed an increase in cases of people who were eating poisonous wild mushrooms, which were being reported by the hospitals.
“Some poisonous wild mushrooms look and smell like edible types of mushrooms," Dr Edward Moreno, County of Monterey Health Officer, said.
“Only people with extensive training and experience should eat wild mushrooms that they have picked themselves."
The County of Monterey Health Department noted that eating poisonous mushrooms can cause 'abdominal pain, cramping, vomiting and diarrhea'.
In some instances, consuming poisonous mushrooms can lead to liver damage and death.
"All poisonous mushrooms cause vomiting and abdominal pain," MSD Manuals explains.
"Other symptoms vary greatly depending on mushroom type. Generally, mushrooms that cause symptoms early (within 2 hours) of ingestion (swallowing) are less dangerous than those that cause symptoms only later (usually after 6 hours)."
It adds: "Even within the same species, the potential for poisoning may vary at different times of the growing season and with cooking."
FOODbible reached out to Salinas Valley Health for comment.