6 April 2013
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (April 6) urged the public not to collect and eat wild mushrooms from parks or the countryside.
The call followed two reports of suspected food poisoning involving three patients, who had eaten wild mushrooms picked from country parks.
The first case involved a 74-year-old man. He developed limb numbness, vomiting and diarrhoea about eight hours after eating the wild mushrooms picked from Tai Mo Shan Country Park at home on April 5. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Yan Chai Hospital today. He is now in serious condition.
Another case involved a 48-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman. They developed abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea about 12 hours after eating the wild mushrooms picked from Shing Mun Country Park at home on April 3. They attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Prince of Wales Hospital on the next day and were admitted for treatment. The female patient is in stable condition. The male patient developed liver failure and was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit on April 5. His condition is critical.
A CHP spokesman advised people not to pick wild mushrooms for consumption as it is difficult to distinguish edible mushroom species from inedible ones.
"Mushroom toxin poisonings are generally acute. The main treatment for this kind of poisoning is only supportive treatment," the spokesman said.