California Warns of Deadly Mushroom Poisonings After 4 Deaths, 3 Liver Transplants

Health officials urge residents to avoid foraging for wild mushrooms this year due to a spike in death cap mushroom poisonings.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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More than three dozen cases of death cap mushroom poisonings have been reported in California since November, leading to four deaths and three liver transplants. The California Department of Public Health is warning people to avoid mushroom foraging altogether this year, as the death cap mushroom is easily confused with safe, edible varieties and can be fatal even in small amounts.

Why it matters

The death cap is one of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world, and its proliferation in California this year is highly unusual, with experts citing warm fall temperatures and early rains as the cause of a 'super bloom' of the toxic fungi. This spike in poisonings, especially among Spanish, Mixteco, and Mandarin Chinese speakers, highlights the need for expanded public health warnings and education around the dangers of wild mushroom consumption.

The details

The death cap mushroom contains amatoxins, highly potent compounds that cause 90% of fatal mushroom poisonings globally. Eating even a small amount can be fatal, and the mushroom's appearance can change dramatically at different stages, making it difficult for non-experts to identify. Many of those poisoned this year have suffered from rapidly evolving acute liver injury and liver failure, requiring intensive care and in some cases, liver transplants.

  • Since November 18, more than three dozen cases of death cap mushroom poisonings have been reported in California.
  • In a typical year, there are between two and five death cap poisonings in California.

The players

California Department of Public Health

The state health department that is urging people to avoid mushroom foraging this year due to the spike in death cap mushroom poisonings.

Dr. Craig Smollin

The medical director for the San Francisco Division of the California Poison Control System, who noted that the 'magnitude' of death cap poisonings this year is 'very unusual'.

Laura Marcelino

A 36-year-old woman from Salinas, California who was hospitalized after her family gathered and ate mushrooms that turned out to be death caps, leading to her husband needing a liver transplant.

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What they’re saying

“The main thing this year is just the magnitude, the number of people ingesting this mushroom. Having almost 40 is very unusual.”

— Dr. Craig Smollin, Medical Director, San Francisco Division of the California Poison Control System

“We thought it was safe.”

— Laura Marcelino (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The California Department of Public Health is expanding its warnings about the dangers of death cap mushrooms in multiple languages to reach more residents, especially Spanish, Mixteco, and Mandarin Chinese speakers who have been disproportionately affected by the poisonings.

The takeaway

This spike in death cap mushroom poisonings underscores the critical need for public education and awareness around the risks of foraging for wild mushrooms, even those that may appear similar to edible varieties. Experts advise buying mushrooms only from trusted sources to avoid the potentially fatal consequences of consuming toxic fungi.