By Spencer Sterritt/The Canadian Press

Researchers warn world’s deadliest mushroom could be found in Nanaimo

Oct 4, 2018 | 2:08 PM

NANAIMO — Mushroom lovers in Nanaimo and across the mid-island are being warned not to forage in urban areas in case they accidentally pick the most dangerous fungi on the planet.

The BC Centre for Disease Control has issued an advisory about death cap mushrooms, which have been found across southern Vancouver Island and the mainland in great numbers in recent months.

Ministry of Environment research scientist Shannon Berch told NanaimoNewsNOW though there haven’t been any confirmed cases of the mushroom being found in the mid-island area, the fungi could theoretically already be here.

“In Nanaimo there’s correct boulevard trees growing which are more-or-less the same age as other trees in Victoria, Saanich and Vancouver who’ve been reported to host the death cap mushroom,” she said. “We think there’s some possibility it might be showing up in Nanaimo.”

The death cap mushroom grows on popular trees often planted along boulevards such as the hornbeam, European beech, hazelnut and sweet chestnut trees, among others.

Paris Bound

Nanaimo race walker Olivia Lundman qualifies for Paris Olympic Games

33m ago

CONCENTRATED HOUSING

Single-family builds down in Nanaimo while denser housing units increase

6h ago

HOUSING TARGETS

Nanaimo named in new group of communities for provincial housing targets

19h ago

The deadly mushroom can often be mistaken for other types of fungi, with immature ones looking like edible puff balls.

Beech said families going for walks around their neighbourhood should always be skeptical of mushrooms they touch and pick.

“We want people in urban areas to make sure their pets, children or themselves are not consuming this mushroom. It’s responsible for bad poisonings around the world and most poisoning deaths as well. It’s certainly a concern for our urban areas.”

Though touching a death cap mushroom isn’t poisonous, Beech said families should be concerned about young children or animals touching them and then consuming the mushroom off their hands or paws.

Eating a death cap mushroom was blamed for the death of a three-year-old Victoria boy who passed away in 2016.

Anyone worried about children or pets who may have taken a bite out of a suspicious mushroom are advised to take the whole mushroom, or pictures of it, so it can be identified or at least ruled out as a potentially dangerous fungus.

Death cap toxins damage the liver and kidney with symptoms such as cramping, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration usually occurring within six to 12 hours after consumption.

Those symptoms can fade before returning more severely within 72 hours, leading to severe illness and organ failure that requires medical treatment and, possibly, organ transplants to prevent death.

— with files from the Canadian Press

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit