Khaberni - Princess Raya Government Hospital in the town of Deir Abi Said, Koura district, recorded several citizens seeking medical attention due to their consumption of wild mushrooms, which turned out to be poisonous.
The director of Princess Hospital, Dr. Mohammed Abu Halawa, stated that the Ministry of Health has issued health information on wild mushroom poisoning, explaining that the poisoning cases came from consuming poisonous types of wild mushrooms, which grow in forests, fields, and gardens.
He explained that there are 100 types of poisonous mushrooms out of thousands that are not poisonous, noting that citizens always look for wild mushrooms after any low atmospheric pressure, but most of them cannot distinguish between the poisonous and non-poisonous ones.
He pointed out that the toxicity of mushrooms cannot be eliminated by cooking, boiling, freezing, or any other method, indicating that the incubation period between consuming poisonous mushrooms and the onset of symptoms is usually short and depends primarily on the type of poison present in the mushroom and the amount consumed.
He added that symptoms of mushroom poisoning appear faster and more severe in children and the elderly, ranging from mild gastrointestinal symptoms to failure of certain body organs functioning, which may lead to death, noting that the symptoms of this poisoning include nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, unconsciousness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vision disturbances, convulsion, itching, and dry mouth.
Dr. Abu Halawa emphasized the importance of buying mushrooms from reliable sources and not to consume wild mushrooms because it is impossible to distinguish between poisonous and non-poisonous ones by taste, shape, color, or size.
On his part, the director of agriculture in Koura district, Salem Al-Khasawneh, said that the directorate usually warns citizens of the dangers of gathering or consuming wild mushrooms that appear after the rains due to the health risks they pose, noting that many types of poisonous mushrooms resemble those that are edible, and cannot be distinguished by expertise or appearance.
Al-Khasawneh called for a total abstention from consuming wild mushrooms unless examined in a laboratory by the competent authorities, and to be absolutely sure they are not poisonous since the poisonous type can cause failure of liver and kidney functions and may lead to death especially in children, the elderly, and sick individuals, pointing out that folk beliefs that cooking, tasting, color change, or the presence of insects do not provide scientific proof of the mushroom's edibility.
He emphasized that food safety is a shared responsibility and that prevention starts with abstaining from consuming wild mushrooms of unknown origin, sticking to cultivated mushrooms with a known source, and advised to visit the nearest health center or hospital in case of suspected consumption of wild mushrooms or if symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or dizziness occur, and not to rely on home remedies.
