OUTSIDE

Deadly invasive mushroom is spreading in B.C. by Martin Dunphy T he B.C. Centre for Disease Control has issued an alert for residents of southern British Columbia to watch for the world’s deadliest kidney, or multisystem organ failure within four to nine days. These can lead to hemorrhaging, convulsions, coma, and death. The BCCDC warns that pets are at grave mushroom this fall. risk as well.

The death cap mushroom (scientific name One of the contributing factors to the Amanita phalloides) is an invasive species accidental eating of death caps is the fact first discovered in Vancouver more than two that at two stages of its fruiting developdecades ago. It is thought to have come here ment, it resembles edible mushrooms: from Europe on the roots of imported trees. an early aboveground stage resembles The poisonous fungus has been found grow- the popular puffball mushroom, and a ing on urban lawns in and around Victoria later stage bears a likeness to paddy straw on Vancouver Island, on Galiano Island, all mushrooms, which are sometimes used in over Vancouver’s streets and boulevards, Asian cooking. and up the Fraser Valley. Trees favoured by A. phalloides are sweet chestnut, hazelnut, hornbeam, beech, linden, and oak. In its early stages of fruiting, the death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides) can resemble an edible fugus like puffballs; a later phase is similar to straw mushrooms. Photo by Paul Kroeger. Kroeger told the Straight that if you have handled death caps, it’s best to take a simple precaution. “You don’t absorb much

The deadly fungus attacks the liver and “Most of the Vancouver appearances caps is about 22 percent overall, with chil- toxin through the skin, but you want to kidneys, sometimes resulting in death were associated with street-tree plantings dren under 10 only having a 50-50 chance wash your hands afterwards.” or the need for organ transplantation. In in the 1960s,” Kroeger, a consultant for the at surviving. The BCCDC notes in its alert that any2016, a three-year-old in Victoria died of B.C. Drug and Poison Information Centre The fungus’s toxic compound, called one who suspects mushroom poisoning death cap poisoning. (DPIC), said. “We think there’s a strong amatoxin, is fatal in small doses and can- should immediately call poison control at

Vancouver mycologist Paul Kroeger, association with the recent spread [of A. not be neutralized by cooking, drying, or 1-800-567-8911. who has studied B.C. mushrooms for more phalloides] and the tree-nursery and horti- freezing. Once eaten, symptoms such as The centre also says that if you sight than three decades, told the Straight by culture industries.” vomiting, diarrhea, and severe abdominal what you think may be death cap mushphone that commercial importation al- Approximately 90 percent of fatalities pain can appear within a half-dozen hours rooms in your neighbourhood, you should most certainly is responsible for the death caused by mushrooms worldwide are and up to a full day or more. Those warning make note of the location, take photocap spread in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. thought to be due to A. phalloides. The mortality rate after ingestion of death indications often subside after a day or two, only to be replaced by severe signs of liver, graphs, and report it to the Invasive Spe cies Council of B.C. g -

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