mushrooms appear everywhere from tea towels and sweaters for toddlers to table lamps; it may be easy to forget that certain fungi can be toxic. One such dangerous species is the Podostroma cornu-damae mushroom (red deer’s horn mushroom). It ranks among the most toxic varieties found.

Poisonings from this mushroom are especially prevalent during March and April when hundreds of wild mushrooms appear across Assam’s famed tea gardens.

Symptoms

A 15-year-old boy remains critical after drinking orange tea boiled with mushrooms to get high, unaware that these were deadly death caps rather than hallucinogenic ones. Without his liver transplant, this boy would have died within days; the other individuals involved are recovering well.

One woman from Melbourne has died after drinking an apparent mushroom-based drink with others over the weekend at Soul Barn Health Retreat near Clunes east of Melbourne.

The retreat is described as an “alternative and holistic health service business,” offering services such as sound healing, beauty treatments and tarot readings. Police are currently assessing whether there may be a correlation between her death and a mushroom-based drink consumed there.

Poisoning from edible mushrooms is more prevalent than from toxic ones; nonetheless, it’s essential to identify and avoid poisonous varieties of mushroom as soon as possible. Members of Lepiota genus often contain deadly toxin muscarine that can cause symptoms including excessive salivation, sweating, vomiting diarrhea and difficulty breathing.

One of the deadliest poisonous mushrooms is Amanita virosa, commonly mistaken for edible Agaricus bisporus. Amanita virosa contains deadly toxins which attack liver and kidney organs while often leading to intestinal upsets as well.

Signs of death cap poisoning don’t immediately show themselves after ingestion, but typically appear 6 to 48 hours later as amatoxins in the mushrooms enter your blood stream and circulate throughout your body. As these toxins target liver, brain, heart, nervous system and intestines systems they can cause severe stomach pain, vomiting watery diarrhea weakness drowsiness loss of appetite jaundice (yellowing skin eyes ) liver failure jaundice (yellowing of skin eyes ) liver failure Jaundice may result in yellow skin tones skin yellowing of skin/eyes yellowing skin/eyes with yellowing skin/eyes), loss of appetite loss of appetite loss of appetite loss of appetite jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes yellowish colouration of skin/eyes), jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes ) liver failure). Finally poisonous mushrooms may lead to seizures or paralysis; such effects could happen quickly after consumption!

Treatment

An invasive species that mimics edible varieties has spread across the West Coast, leading to accidental deaths and liver damage in some instances. Researchers are mapping its genome in order to find ways to contain its growth.

The Death Cap is well known for containing two potent toxins called amatoxin and phallotoxin, which disrupt DNA-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerase II and lead to protein synthesis failure, leading to serious injuries in kidneys and gastrointestinal tract, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and electrolyte imbalance; risking death ranges between 10-50% of those ingesting it.

Silibinin, an extract of milk thistle, may offer the only antidote for mushroom poisoning; however, its administration within 72 hours after ingestion can prevent liver failure and save lives in some patients. Gholam’s team is working towards making more readily available to hospitals as an aid for treating mushroom poisoning incidents, particularly as foraging begins during this season and more foragers explore forests.

At present, poison control should be your go-to option. Beyond identifying the mushroom in question and where it was obtained from, physicians also need to know exactly how much was consumed and where from; this information allows doctors to calculate an LD50 value (lethal dose 50) of each mushroom species consumed.

Good news: there are plenty of safe mushrooms that offer significant health benefits, including immune support, cancer prevention, lower blood pressure and enhanced heart health. You simply have to learn which are edible and which may be dangerous; mycology courses or consulting a knowledgeable mushroomer could be invaluable here; bring along a pocket knife as you forage as this will allow you to cut up any suspicious mushrooms quickly and safely.

Prevention

With mushroom motifs on everything from tea towels to toddlers’ sweaters, it seems the public has become more interested in edible mushrooms. But foraging enthusiasts should remember not all mushrooms are safe; some species can cause severe poisoning and death with just one bite!

Mushroom poisoning typically results from foragers misidentifing poisonous mushrooms as edible ones, either through mistaking a toxic variety for its closely related edible variety, or mistaking insect-eating varieties for edible ones in nature. Mushroom poisoning is a worldwide issue as evidenced by increased calls to America’s Poison Centers this year alone.

Preventing mushroom poisoning requires being mindful when foraging and avoiding toxic varieties, including being educated about wild mushrooms’ dangers and never eating any without adult supervision. Furthermore, people should keep in mind that cooking mushrooms does not neutralize their toxins.

First step to avoid mushroom poisoning is learning how to distinguish edible from non-edible varieties of mushrooms. As many species appear similar, it may be difficult to identify them solely by sight alone. Amanita phalloides or “death cap”, is responsible for most mushroom poisoning cases as it contains phallotoxin – an extremely potent toxin known to cause liver damage, weakness and digestive upset in victims.

Unsafe mushrooms may appear unappetizing with their leathery texture and bland or peppery flavor, as well as musty aroma. Furthermore, anyone foraging for mushrooms that appears suspicious should call 911 immediately instead of eating it themselves.

Bring a sample of any mushrooms consumed to an emergency room so medical professionals can properly identify and treat the type. Furthermore, people should avoid eating mushrooms found on the ground as these could contain pesticides or contaminants that need to be managed appropriately.

Side Effects

As no mushroom is known to be toxic in contact with skin, no need to fear becoming ill by touching or drinking its juice from mushrooms. However, some varieties such as Amanita phalloides (death cap mushroom) can be fatal when consumed; it will lead to liver damage, gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as potentially harmful substances being released by it that may damage kidneys and cause electrolyte imbalances in humans.

These mushrooms contain highly potent toxins that are deadly if consumed in large amounts, making the death cap mushroom responsible for more than 90% of all mushroom poisoning cases. By contrast, eating cultivated edible mushrooms accounts for less than 10%.

Symptoms of mushroom poisoning depend on the kind and preparation method of mushrooms consumed, the season they were eaten in, and any accompanying preparation methods. Most often, an individual will experience stomachache which requires emergency room visit. But more serious symptoms could include liver or kidney failure since certain mushrooms contain toxin that damages these organs when consumed.

Mushrooms may contain heavy metals and other contaminants from their environment of origin. Therefore, it is vital that any mushrooms collected come from clean areas only.

Foraging mushrooms has become more and more popular, leading to an increase in calls to poison centers regarding mushrooms. People contacting poison centers usually make these calls after mistakingly eating edible looking yet poisonous mushrooms like death caps (Pleurocybella porrigens) or the Chaga tavernata), often mistaken for edible varieties.

Certain mushrooms can be extremely deadly when consumed directly or brewed into tea, such as the death cap mushroom which contains a toxin that causes oxalate nephropathy which damages kidneys and livers by breaking down proteins – potentially fatal without prompt treatment.