The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (April 21) investigating a suspected case of food poisoning related to the consumption of wild mushrooms, and urged the public not to collect and eat wild mushrooms from parks or the countryside.

     Two patients, a man aged 37 and a woman aged 49, developed symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting, sweating and diarrhoea about one hour after consuming mushrooms at home yesterday (April 20). They were admitted to Tseung Kwan O Hospital for management and are now in stable condition.

     Initial investigations revealed that the patients had consumed wild mushrooms picked from the roadside in Sai Kung yesterday. The CHP's investigation is ongoing.

     "Members of the public should not pick wild mushrooms for consumption as it is difficult to distinguish edible mushroom species from inedible ones," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     "Mushroom poisoning is generally acute. Common presentations include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain appearing shortly after ingestion. Depending on the mushroom species, patients may also have other symptoms like profuse sweating, illusion, hallucination, coma or other neurological symptoms, as well as liver failure. Death may result in severe cases," he added.
 
    "If mushroom poisoning is suspected, the patient should seek immediate medical attention and bring along any available remnant for identification," the spokesman said.

Ends/Friday, April 21, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:16

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