MycoRant

According to two short news items published by Nepal News, five young people have died as result of eating poisonous mushrooms. The unfortunate deaths are related to a single incident. In both cases the youths had consumed mushrooms collected from forests near their home. Apparently all five ate from the same collection.

Attempts to get more information from Kohalpur Teaching Hospital in Bankethe, and Ansen Mission Hospital, where the cases were treated have been unsuccessful.

Poisonous fungi claims two minors

Three die after consuming poisonous mushroom

Oh wait, it looks like the toll is actually six.

Wild mushroom kills one more in Dang

Apparently mushroom poisoning in Nepal is a big problem. According to an article from the magazine Fungi,  “Mushroom Poisoning in Nepal and its Mitigation”, by Tika Ram Aryal:

“Nepal is rich in mushroom diversity. Local people have been using wild mushrooms in their diet as well as a source of income, but they do not have proper knowledge about identification of edible and poisonous mushrooms. This practice has caused severe poisonings and even death.”

Tags: mushroom poisoning, Nepal