Four die and dozens become ill after eating poisonous death cap mushroom

Four people have died and three others have required liver transplants after eating poisonous death cap mushrooms that have proliferated in California this winter, health officials said.

The California Department of Public Health said more than three dozen cases of mushroom poisoning have been reported since Nov. 18, far exceeding the typical two to five cases seen in a normal year. Several patients suffered acute liver injury or liver failure and were treated in intensive care units.

There are usually three to five death cap poisonings a year (Picture: Getty Images/500px)

Death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides), considered among the most toxic in the world, contain amatoxins that can cause fatal organ damage even in small amounts. Experts say the fungi can be easily mistaken for edible varieties, and cooking, boiling or drying does not reduce their toxicity.

Warm temperatures and early rains have created ideal growing conditions for the mushrooms across parts of Northern California and the Central Coast, including areas near Monterey and the San Francisco Bay, officials said.

Victims have ranged in age from 19 months to 67 years old, and officials have expanded public warnings in multiple languages after noting that many of those affected mistook the toxic mushrooms for safe ones.

Health authorities are urging people to avoid foraging for wild mushrooms and to only consume mushrooms from trusted, commercial sources. Anyone experiencing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain after eating wild mushrooms should seek medical attention immediately.