Breadcrumb Trail Links
News Local News
Death cap mushrooms are the most toxic mushrooms found in B.C.
Article content
A young child in the Vancouver Coastal Health region was taken to hospital after eating part of a poisonous death cap mushroom, said the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
Advertisement 2
Article content
The child ate part of the toxic mushroom in Vancouver’s Kits Point neighbourhood, said Raymond Li, a pharmacist with the B.C. Drug and Poison Information Centre.
Article content
The child was taken to hospital and received treatment to stop the toxins from the mushrooms from being absorbed into the system.
“Thankfully, due to the parents’ vigilance and quick identification by our mycologist, the child did not suffer any ill effects,” said Li.
The incident prompted B.C. health authorities to warn people to be on the lookout for death cap mushrooms, which can cause liver damage and possibly death.
Death cap mushrooms — the most toxic mushroom in B.C. — have been reported in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island, most recently at a park in Comox.
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
They are not native to B.C. and are typically found in urban environments on the roots of residential street trees such as English and red oaks, sweet chestnut, hornbeam, European beech, hazelnut and linden trees.
In this latest poisoning, the mushroom was found on private property. But the location is “neither here nor there,” said Li, because the mushrooms are commonly found on boulevard trees that can have long root systems that extend up to 20 feet away and cross property lines.
Kits Point is not a “hotspot” for the mushrooms, he said. The BCCDC’s death cap mushroom map shows most reported sightings are on the east side. There has been no reported sighting in Kits Point.
“It’s very unusual for them to grow this early in the year,” said Li, noting that the mushrooms usually sprout in the wetter, fall months, but can pop up in the summer in areas that are watered or irrigated.
Advertisement 4
Article content
Symptoms of death cap poisoning include cramping, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea within six to 12 hours of consumption. People may feel better after a day, but the toxins continue to damage the kidney and liver, leading to a second wave of diarrhea and cramping within 72 hours after eating the mushroom.
The second wave could lead to severe illness and organ failure, said health authorities. Medical treatment and organ transplants may be required to prevent death.
Because death cap mushrooms can be easily mistaken for edible mushrooms such as the paddy straw mushroom or edible puff balls, Li warns foragers not to eat any wild mushrooms they have not properly identified as being edible.
People who spot mushrooms growing in areas where children play should remove the mushrooms and dispose of them in the garbage, he said.
Death cap mushroom sightings can be reported to the B.C. government’s Invasive Species Working Group.
If you suspect you or someone you know may have eaten a poisonous mushroom, call poison control at 1-800-567-8911.
chchan@postmedia.com
twitter.com/cherylchan
Comments
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
Join the Conversation