Mushroom season has come early to NSW, bringing a spate of poisonings with it.
Mushroom season typically runs from March to June but wet, humid weather in a number of regions across the state caused mushroom season to kick off early.
Wild mushrooms, including toxic varieties, have flourished prompting NSW Health and the Royal Botanic Gardens to warn people against them.
“So far in February, 10 people have attended NSW hospital emergency departments with poisoning after eating wild mushrooms – eight more cases than is usually recorded for this time of the year,” director of NSW health protection Dr Jeremy McAnulty said.
“Eating poisonous mushrooms can cause abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
“Some varieties of mushrooms, such as Death Cap mushrooms, can cause death due to kidney and liver damage.
“Four of the patients were recorded in Nepean Blue Mountains, two in Western Sydney, three in Central Coast and one in the Shoalhaven.”
Royal Botanic Gardens deputy executive director Dr Brett Summerell said people should avoid eating any wild mushrooms.
“Unless you’re with an expert who knows each individual species of mushroom very, very well, you should not eat them, because many species are toxic and cause illnesses and in some cases, death,” he said.
Dr McAnulty said people should remember that commercially available mushrooms are safe to eat.
Contact the NSW Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 urgently if you experience any symptoms following wild mushroom ingestion.
In an emergency, Call 000 for an ambulance.
