Public Service Announcement

Media Advisory

January 3, 2025

Mushroom Poisoning Alert  

Salinas Valley Health (SVH) is warning the public about a threat of poisonous mushrooms in our local community and the serious medical consequences of eating or cooking with the mushrooms that may be mistaken for a regular mushroom variety.

Salinas Valley Health Emergency Room physicians say three individuals came into the ER on New Year’s Eve suffering from acute hepatotoxicity due to severe mushroom poisoning after cooking with mushrooms they had purchased from a truck vender. The patients were treated and transferred to Stanford Medicine.

ER physicians immediately notified Salinas Police and have reported the cases to the County of Monterey Public Health Department.

Early information:

·         Reports that the mushrooms were sold from a truck parked in a supermarket parking lot in East Salinas

·         The seller(s) may be operating out of multiple locations

·         The mushrooms may appear to be white button mushrooms however are known as amanita phalloides or death cap mushrooms because of their potentially deadly impact

·         Anyone suspected of having eaten mushrooms and suffering from gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain should seek emergency medical treatment

·         Anyone eating the death cap mushrooms may suffer the above symptoms and then appear to feel better in the next 24 hours however the toxic nature of the mushrooms can cause liver failure, potential need for liver transplant and in a worst case scenario, death

·         Only eat mushrooms sold at reputable produce outlets

Substance Use Disorder and Emergency Room Physician available for interview

Date: Friday, January 3, 2025  

Time: 2pm  

Where: Meet in Nancy Ausonio Breast Health Center 240 San Jose Street across from ER

Interview:  

Erica Locke, MD

Salinas Valley Health

RSVP required: Text Karina at 831-594-7723. Please indicate outlet and media representative in attendance

Quotes from Dr. Erica Locke, Salinas Valley Health Emergency Room Physician:

“The mushrooms that brought three people into the ER at Salinas Valley Health are not hallucinogenic mushrooms. They are amanita phalloides and are often referred to as death cap mushrooms because they are extremely poisonous. Unknowingly eating these mushrooms can result in liver failure, the need for a liver transplant or even death.”

“These are rare cases which is why it is so concerning to have these mushrooms apparently being sold as produce in our community. In my nearly 20 year medical career, I have only seen one other case like this.”

“We’re obviously urging the public to be aware of the threat and to only purchase mushrooms from a reputable produce outlet or grocery store. The people who bought these mushrooms brought them home, cooked with them and then felt sick with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. Interesting, people who eat these mushrooms can start to feel better in 24 hours however the toxicity of the mushrooms is still in their body. They can go into liver failure and need a liver transplant. We were fortunate to be able to treat these three patients and to transport them to Stanford Medicine where they are being treated.”

“Foraging for wild mushrooms in our community is common. Unfortunately,  death cap mushrooms can be mistaken for tradition, edible, white button mushrooms which is why it is extremely important not to forage for mushrooms or purchase mushrooms that could have been the result of someone foraging for mushrooms.”