Mushroom poisoning, 4 hospitalized in serious condition in Frosinone

"Between 28 October and today, five episodes of mushroom poisoning were recorded in the province of Frosinone involving around ten people. The episodes concerned fungal species responsible for even serious gastrointestinal syndromes, in particular in the case of yesterday, 8 November, caused by the consumption of Entoloma sinuatum and Armillaria mellea which were not adequately treated. Nails, in fact, are the only widely consumed species which necessarily require pre-boiling with elimination of cooking water before consumption, in order to prevent gastrointestinal poisoning". This is what the Frosinone Local Health Authority said in a note.

"Today's episode was particularly serious, following which four people consumed Amanita phalloides, one of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world, mistaking it for the common tacks (Armillaria mellea), also known as 'family' - continues the ASL - The amatoxins contained in this species can cause very serious liver damage up to potentially fatal liver failure. The patients were transferred to the Gemelli Polyclinic and the Umberto Polyclinic I of Rome for the necessary care".

Doctor Immacolata Verdicchio, head of the Uoc Sian of the Frosinone Local Health Authority, underlines the importance of the work carried out by the company's mycological surveillance network: "Thanks to the skills of the mycologists of the Frosinone Local Health Authority, it was possible to obtain mycological diagnoses very quickly which allowed the clinicians to adopt the most appropriate support therapies and, in the most serious cases, promptly arrange for the transfer of patients to specialized hospital facilities".