Mushroom Poisoning In China Killed 20 People Last Year

Cases linked to wild mushroom poisoning in China declined slightly last year but still pose a huge problem in the country, according to researchers, Joe Whitworth reported for Food Safety News (FSN).

Photo Insert: Russula subnigricans

In 2021, there were 327 investigations involving 923 patients and 20 deaths. Mushroom poisoning incidents and patients were more than 2019 but less than 2020 as deaths slightly decreased.

The number of patients in outbreaks ranged from one to 20 and six incidents involved more than 10 patients, according to a study published in the journal China CDC Weekly.

A total of 68 patients from 14 incidents ate poisonous mushrooms from a market or given to them by friends; 46 people from 10 incidents were poisoned after eating dried mushrooms .and 113 patients from 28 incidents ate mixed mushrooms.

Overall, 74 poisonous mushrooms species causing six different clinical syndromes were identified, 15 of which were newly recorded in China.

In nine cases, it was previously unknown if the species was poisonous or not. This takes the number of mushroom species linked to intoxications past 150. Further analysis showed that mushroom poisonings occurred every month, centered from May to November and reaching a peak in August.

The first death was in early March. The top three months for deaths caused by poisonous mushrooms were September, July, and November.

The top three lethal mushroom species were Russula subnigricans, Galerina sulciceps, and Lepiota brunneoincarnata, which caused six, five, and three deaths, respectively.

Chlorophyllum molybdites was behind most poisoning incidents. Eight species causing acute liver failure and three linked to acute renal failure were identified. Mushroom poisoning resulting in acute liver failure caused by Amanita spp. dropped sharply.

Researchers said this progress was mainly because of continuous science popularization and health education. Thirty-nine species causing gastroenteritis were documented in 2021. The top three were Chlorophyllum molybdites, Russula japonica and Entoloma omiense.

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