The Ministry of Public Health has reported that more than 91 cases of mycetism or mushroom poisoning, have recently been found.
The Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr Narong Sahamethapat pointed out that the rainy season each year is conducive to the spread of naturally growing mushrooms. The misidentification comes from the close resemblance in terms of color and general morphology of the toxic mushroom species with the safe to eat species, resulting in the deaths of some, and the sickness of many villagers.
The Bureau of Epidemiology has reported that from January to May this year, no fatalities were reported, however in 22 provinces people fell ill from eating the wrong mushrooms. Phang Nga (a southern province of Thailand ) ranks in first place for patients made ill from eating poisonous mushrooms.The number of patients is expected to grow 4-5 times in the rainy season this year.
All Provincial Public Health Offices are urged to give residents information on the poisons of a certain family of mushrooms. He also encourages all people to be wary. The Director of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), Dr. Sopon Mekthon stated that poisonous mushrooms contain a variety of toxins that can differ in toxicity.The most severe and the one responsible for the majority of fatalities is the death cap mushroom. The death cap’s deadliest toxin, is called an amatoxin.
The amatoxin can destroy liver, kidney, brain, blood system and breathing system within 4-10 hours. Even high heat in the cooking process cannot remove the toxin. The first aid treatment is to have the patients vomit, to remove as much toxin as possible from the digestive system. The method is not applicable to children under five years of age. Such patients must be rushed to hospital. For more information please contact, Tel. 1422 or 0 2590 3183.
Story: NNT
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
