Beware of Wild Mushroom Poisoning, Experts Warn

Mushrooms are good for health. However, consumption of wild mushrooms could have a negative impact on health, a report noted. A Canadian woman recently had to undergo a liver transplant after suffering liver damage from consuming poisonous wild mushrooms from a park.

The 52-year-old woman reported severe abdominal cramps and nausea within 12 hours of consuming the mushrooms. In addition, she suffered diarrhea and vomiting. She was taken immediately to an emergency room and then put into intensive care to await a liver transplant.

Researchers warned deadly fungi resemble the edible ones. "Even for experienced foragers it can be difficult to tell what is poisonous and what is not. People who forage need to be aware of the dangers of eating wild mushrooms," said Dr. Corey Stein of the University of Toronto.

The affected woman reportedly took the mushrooms with her when she was admitted to the hospital. This led the doctors identify the toxin but no antidote was available. Since the poison already had affected the woman's liver of the woman, doctors had no option but to offer a liver transplant.

The mushrooms the woman ate were identified as belonging to the species Amanita bisporigera. Genus Amanita has more than 600 species of mushrooms and a majority of mushroom poisoning deaths occur because of them. There are other species of poisonous mushroom in North America as well.