Several cases of poisoning by poisonous mushrooms have been recorded in recent days, including the case of a 10-year-old girl.

After admission to the emergency room of the Brotzu hospital, the mycologists of the SIAN of the ASL of Cagliari identified the poisonous species, fortunately not fatal.

The first episode occurred in a family of three people who, about an hour after consuming a meal based on wild mushrooms they had collected in Arbus, felt the first symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain.

The doctor on duty at the emergency room carried out the first tests and ordered hospitalization, then the mycologists were alerted of the availability to whom the residues of the mushrooms consumed were delivered, in particular a portion of raw mushroom cap.

Subjected to analysis, the experts from the SIAN in via San Lucifero ascertained that the species attributable to the intoxication was Entoloma sinuatum, a whitish, fleshy mushroom with a very inviting appearance also due to the characteristic and pleasant smell of fresh flour that it gives off . Fungus which unfortunately causes a severe gastrointestinal syndrome which often, as in this case, requires hospitalisation, but which, once the toxic substances have been disposed of, does not leave permanent damage to vital organs such as the liver or kidneys.

The second case also involved three people, including a 10-year-old girl, who ate a plate of pasta for lunch seasoned with sautéed mushrooms, which were also picked and consumed without having previously been subjected to inspection. The symptoms occurred about half an hour after the meal. The intoxicated people were admitted to the emergency room of the Brotzu hospital which alerted the mycological inspectorate of the Cagliari local health authority. The SIAN mycologists on duty recovered part of the mushroom-based condiment. The work was more complex given the type of sample: a mixture of cooked mushrooms cut into small pieces. Finally, the consumption of deadly poisonous species was excluded. Instead, these were Infundibulicybe geotropa, Infundibulicybe gibba and Boletus aereus and two toxic ones: Entoloma sinuatum and Chlorophyllum rachodes.

«The control of fungi is fundamental in the prevention of poisoning», underlines the SIAN of the ASL of Cagliari.

The Mycological Inspectorate of the Food Hygiene and Nutrition Service is available to citizens to verify the edibility of spontaneous epigean mushrooms, with free and open access, at the following locations:

Cagliari , via Cocco Ortu c/o San Benedetto Market Direction 1st floor on Mondays from 8.00 to 12.00 from Tuesday to Friday from 8.00 to 10.00

Cagliari , via S. Lucifero, 81 on the 1st floor from Monday to Friday, from 12.00 to 14.00

Senorbì , via Campioni (clinic) on Mondays from 8.00 to 10.00

Isili , Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 80 (Policy Clinic) on Mondays from 10.00 to 13.00.

(Unioneonline/ss)

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