The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 29) investigating a suspected food poisoning case involving consumption of mushrooms.
The case involves a man aged 53 and a woman aged 56, who developed vomiting, diarrhoea, cold sweating and abdominal pain around five hours after consuming cooked mushrooms at home yesterday (June 28). The mushrooms were bought from a store in Sham Shui Po. The patients sought medical attention at the Accident and Emergency Department of Yan Chai Hospital today and were admitted for further management. They are in stable condition.
The CHP investigations are ongoing and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department was also alerted to the incident.
"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," 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.
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