Mushrooms can add distinct flavors to many dishes, but they can also be the death of a consumer if care is not taken. The recent death of a California resident who had foraged wild mushrooms is the state’s 35th mushroom poisoning case and third related death in two months.
Because of this significant increase in cases (with fewer than five expected in an average year), likely caused by the profusion of toxic death cap mushrooms in Northern California due to early rains and a mild fall, the Sonoma County Health Department provided the following advice on mushroom consumption:
- Some harmful varieties closely resemble edible mushrooms, even to experienced foragers, the best way to stay safe is to not eat wild mushrooms picked by yourself, family or friends.
- Watch children closely when they play outside where mushrooms grow; most pediatric mushroom poisonings occur in children under 6.
- Keep pets away from wild mushrooms — animals can be poisoned too.
- Buy mushrooms only from trusted grocery stores and retailers; be especially careful when buying from street vendors.
- Poisonous mushrooms are not made safe through cooking, boiling, freezing or drying.
If you suspect that you, or someone else, has consumed a poisoned mushroom, seek medical help immediately. Do not wait for symptoms to appear, as they can take up to 24 hours (or even 2 to 3 days for fatal liver damage) to occur, and treatment is more difficult once symptoms start. Even mild symptoms can lead to severe reactions.
Even mushrooms that are generally seen as safe can be dangerous if not properly prepared – at a restaurant or in the home. For example, morel mushrooms should never be eaten raw or lightly cooked as they contain a toxin that is destroyed only through thorough cooking. This was illustrated in a 2023 case in which 51 people were taken ill and two died after consuming undercooked morels at a Montana restaurant. As such, commercial food companies should ensure that any wild-harvested mushrooms are provided by only credentialed experts. In fact, some states, such as Minnesota, require that foragers who sell publicly submit evidence of taking a mushroom identification course from an accredited college or university, or a mycological society.
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Public Health News:
- A Sonoma County, California, resident died after consuming foraged wild mushrooms, marking the third death in that state linked to mushroom poisoning since mid-November 2025. During this time period, there were 35 cases. The recent, significantly rainy weather has permitted excessive growth of toxic fungi, including the Death Cap mushroom.
- The U.S. flu season shows elevated activity with increasing hospitalizations, primarily driven by Influenza A, especially the H3N2 subclade K. RSV activity is also elevated in many areas of the country with emergency department visits and hospitalizations increasing among children 0-4 years old.
- Hepatitis A cases in Taiwan are at a 9-year high with close to 500 cases reported, mainly among young adult males, likely linked to low immunity levels in young adults.
- Results were published this week of successful results of Phase 1 trials of a single-dose, live-attenuated oral cholera vaccine derived from the V cholerae 01 strain, responsible for the majority of global cholera cases. To date, the WHO recommends 3 types of vaccines which currently use killed, whole-cell vaccines, but supplies are very limited. This newer approach could alleviate shortages of the vaccine and relies on a single-dose, live-attenuated oral cholera strain.
- A newly published study has confirmed that mpox antibodies wane significantly after 2 years, regardless of whether they were the result of vaccine or active infection. However, since subsequent mpox cases in vaccinated individuals are typically much less severe, immunity to mpox likely extends beyond antibodies, argue the authors.
