Poisonous Mushroom Outbreak Kills Four in California

California health officials report four deaths linked to a statewide outbreak of poisonous mushroom cases that began last fall.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Organic Food

Poisonous Mushroom Outbreak Kills Four in California

The California Department of Public Health reported four deaths in a statewide poisonous mushroom outbreak that began last fall. In Humboldt County, a case involving western destroying angel mushrooms mistaken for puffballs led to a hospitalization.

Why it matters

Amanita mushrooms, which include death caps and western destroying angels, can cause severe liver damage, and their symptoms can appear hours after eating and briefly improve before becoming far worse. The outbreak highlights the risk of misidentifying wild mushrooms for edible varieties.

The statewide outbreak has resulted in four deaths, while the Humboldt County case involved western destroying angel mushrooms mistaken for puffballs and led to a hospitalization but was not reported as a death. The extraction does not identify which species caused the four statewide deaths.

The players

California Department of Public Health

The state agency responsible for public health monitoring and reporting in California, which announced the statewide outbreak and four deaths.

Mount Shasta Mycological Society

A regional mushroom study organization that hosts educational events on fungi identification in the Mount Shasta area.

The details

Western destroying angel mushrooms were mistaken for puffballs in the Humboldt County case that required hospitalization. Amanita toxins can cause severe liver damage, and symptoms may start hours after eating before improving and then worsening sharply.

Last fall: the statewide poisonous mushroom outbreak began.
Nov. 8: Mount Shasta Mycological Society Fall Fungus Fair runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Health Landscape

Wild mushroom poisoning cases recorded by California poison control centers each year show that misidentification of Amanita species remains a recurring public health problem. This statewide outbreak fits that established pattern of seasonal exposure during the fall foraging period.

Foragers in California should avoid eating wild mushrooms unless they have been positively identified by an expert, since Amanita species can look similar to edible puffballs. Anyone who eats a wild mushroom and develops symptoms should seek medical care promptly, even if early symptoms seem to improve.

The takeaway

Wild mushrooms should only be eaten after confirmed identification by a qualified expert, because a mushroom that looks like an edible variety can still be deadly. Early symptom relief after eating mushrooms does not mean the danger has passed.