Food poisoning case related to wild mushrooms

Food poisoning case related to wild mushrooms

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (January 2) reminded members of the public not to eat wild mushrooms picked from countryside in Hong Kong or overseas.

The call followed a report of suspected food poisoning involving a Mainland couple who had reported to have eaten wild mushrooms picked from a park in South Africa on December 27, 2007.

Investigations by the CHP revealed that the 43-year-old woman developed abdominal pain, diarrhea and headache on January 1, 2008 while on flight. She arrived in Hong Kong on January 1, was directly admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital and then transferred to Queen Mary Hospital. She subsequently died of multiple organ failure on the same day.

The case has been handed over to the coroner's court for investigation.

Her 44-year-old husband also had history of abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting 13 hours after consumption of the wild mushrooms, attended the Accident & Emergency Department of Queen Mary Hospital on January 1 and is now in stable condition.

A CHP spokesman advised members of the public not to pick wild mushrooms for consumption as it was difficult to distinguish edible mushroom species from the inedible ones.

"Mushroom toxin poisonings are generally acute. The main treatment for this kind of poisoning is only supportive treatment," the spokesman said.

Ends/Wednesday, January 2, 2008