'Death cap' mushroom sends Victoria forager to hospital

A Victoria mushroom picker is seriously illafter eating one of the world's most deadly fungi.

The forager picked the 'death cap' or Amanita phalloides mushroom in a Victoria yard a few days ago, according to Island Health Chief Medical OfficerDr. RichardStanwick.

The unidentified person was admitted to Victoria Hospital but was subsequently transferred to Edmonton for additional treatment.

"They're not called death caps for nothing," said Stanwick. "This is not amushroomthat is indigenousand I think a lot of people are unaware this potential [danger] is out there."

Stanwick said 20 mushrooms collected from the same location all believedto be death capshave beensent for testing.

Death caps are responsible for 90 per cent of fatal mushroom poisonings in the world. Just half a cap of themushroom can contain enough toxins tokill an adult.

"People experience gastrointestinalupset for a day or so and then seemingly symptoms start resolving," said Stanwick."People think they are recovering from a bad batch of mushroomsonly to go into much more serious liver complications. If you've ingested enough of the various toxins that this mushroom contains, it does destroy the liver."

Unremarkable appearance

The death cap mushroom in unremarkable in appearance and withoutunique identifying characteristics. Itscap can range in colour fromyellowish-green to brown, and it has white gills underneath and a stem with a skirt-like membrane.

Stanwick said mushroom pickers need to be cautiousand should learnthe difference betweenpoisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms.

"Gain the expertise, go out with people who know what they are doing," he said. "Thereare species that are readily recognizablethose are theonesyouwant to pick.When in doubt leave it in the ground."

With files from On the Island