Mushroom Poisoning Outbreaks - China, 2020

What is already known about this topic? Acute liver failure, rhabdomyolysis, acute renal failure, and hemolysis caused by poisonous mushrooms are the most important mushroom poisoning threats to the Chinese population. The most notorious lethal mushrooms are the species from genera Amanita, Lepiota, and Galerina that cause acute liver failure, and Russula subnigricans that leads to rhabdomyolysis.

What is added by this report? In 2020, the total number of investigations reached 676, involving an estimated 102 species of poisonous mushrooms, 24 of which were newly recorded in China. Gyromitra venenata was newly discovered in incidents in Yunnan and Guizhou provinces and were the first reported poisonings due to gyromitrins in China since 2000. The rare poisoning Shiitake mushroom dermatitis was recorded in China. Hemolysis poisoning caused by Paxillus involutus was recorded for the second time since the beginning of the new century, resulting in one death in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

What are the implications for public health practice? Promoting knowledge about safe consumption of mushrooms is essential to reduce mushroom poisonings. It is not wise to collect and eat wild mushrooms. For southwestern provinces such as Yunnan, especially, caution must be exercised with unfamiliar mushroom species.