CHP investigates case of food poisoning
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The two patients, a man aged 30 and a woman aged 31, presented with vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain and nausea three to four hours after consuming porcini mushrooms during dinner at home on August 26. The couple attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital the next day and were discharged on the same day. Both have been in stable condition all along.
Initial enquiries revealed that the porcini mushrooms were purchased from a department store in Tai Po between November and December last year. Preliminary identification results of the uncooked mushroom samples showed a mixture of species including poisonous species.
The case has been referred to the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for follow-up. The case is still under investigation.
"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," a CHP spokesman said.
"We advise the public to buy mushrooms from reputable and reliable suppliers and not to buy mushroom products which may be mixed with unknown species. Members of the public should not pick wild mushrooms for consumption as it is difficult to distinguish edible mushroom species from inedible ones. Mixing of edible species with inedible or poisonous species of mushroom will not dilute toxicity. Cooking in most cases does not destroy toxicity," the spokesman 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, September 1, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:08
Issued at HKT 20:08
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