The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (May 4) 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.
 
     The male patient, aged 72 with underlying illness, developed symptoms including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and dizziness about two hours after consuming mushrooms at home yesterday (May 3). He attended the Accident and Emergency Department (AED) of United Christian Hospital on the same day and is still under observation at the AED. The patient is now in stable condition.
 
     Initial investigations revealed that the patient had consumed wild mushrooms picked near his residence in Kwun Tong 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, 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/Thursday, May 4, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:22

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