Poisonous mushrooms: family critical

A family of five is in a critical condition in hospital after eating wild mushrooms in a rural area in Ilembe.

KZN emergency medical services responded to the rural Nyuswa area on Monday to treat a family that became critically ill after eating a dinner meal containing wild mushrooms that they found growing near their home.The entire family, two males and three females, ranging in age from two to 79, required advanced life support before being transported to Osindisweni hospital for ongoing medical treatment. The entire operation took unusually long due to the remote rural location, poor conditions of the roads in the area and the critical condition of the family.

KZN Health’s Robert Mckenzie said under no circumstances should anyone ever eat any mushrooms that did not come from a reputable grocery store. He warned against buying mushrooms on the side of the road because thier origin is unknown and they could kill you.

“The problem with mushroom poisoning is that symptoms can take between one and 24 hours to develop. Unfortunately people are prone to ignoring initial gastro-intestinal symptoms, thinking it will go away, and so they often seek medical help when it is too late,” said Mckenzie.

He said common symptoms range from gastro-intesitnal problems like stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of consciousness, and liver and kidney damage. It is not yet known which mushroom species the family ate.

According to Wikipedia, the Amanita phalloides (commonly known as death cap, duiwelsbrood or slangkos) is responsible for the majority of human deaths from mushroom poisoning. They resemble several edible mushroom species and are reported to taste pleasant. According to Wikipedia, mushroom poisoning typically damage the liver and kidneys and half a cap of the death cap is enough to kill a human.