Every year, with the arrival of winter and the rains, cases of poisoning due to eating wild mushrooms begin to appear throughout the country. In the last month, Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) reported seeing a jump in the rate of such cases arriving from the North of Israel.
Dr. Yael Luria showing an example of edible vs poisonous mushrooms. Photography: Rambam HCC and mushrooms by Yaniv Segal, a mushroom identification expert consultant for The Israel Poison Information Center.
Among the wild mushrooms that grow in Israel are both edible and extremely poisonous ones. Very poisonous mushrooms may look remarkably similar to edible mushrooms to the untrained eye, and this places those who pick them in danger.
Dr. Yael Luria, Director of the Israel Poison Information Center at Rambam explains, “The signs of poisoning from eating toxic mushrooms can differ, from nausea and vomiting to multisystem organ damage, all depending on the type of mushroom and the quantity that was eaten. Identifying the type of fungi is important for making medical decisions; it is a very complex issue.” She adds, “At the poison Information center, we are aided by mycologists (mushroom identification experts) and volunteers who help us identify the different varieties of mushrooms.”
The Israel Poison Information Center at Rambam is a branch of the Ministry of Health and is the only service of its kind in the country that provides expert advice on poisonings to the healthcare system and the general public. Hence, many poisoning cases – of all types – are referred to Rambam.
Late last month, a woman in her forties was hospitalized at Rambam due to serious poisoning caused by a toxic wild mushroom that she had picked, cooked, and eaten. Following treatment, she was out of danger and recovering.
Dr. Luria places special emphasis on the fact that, in most cases, cooking does not destroy the toxins found in mushrooms, and adds, “Many poisonings result from eating meals with cooked wild-gathered mushrooms. Since December 2023, we have had about eleven such incidents from all over the country, some of which involved groups of people who shared the same meal and all fell ill. As a result, one patient experienced severe liver damage. In previous years, there have been life-threatening cases that required prolonged hospitalization in our Department of Critical Care Medicine and even required complex treatments such as dialysis and chemotherapy.” Dr. Luria warns, “One must pay special attention to young children, as children have a tendency to put anything within reach into their mouths, so it is important to watch them closely.”
In conclusion, Dr. Luria advises the public to avoid collecting and eating wild mushrooms. Instead, enjoy their appearance and photographing them. For tasty and safe meals, people should buy mushrooms from the supermarket or produce stores.
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