Each year Dr. Pierre Gholam, a hepatologist with University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, sees four or five Northeast Ohio patients in the intensive care unit because they consumed poisonous mushrooms.
But this year is different. The wet weather likely caused the deadly variety to grow earlier than usual. Since the beginning of August, Dr. Gholam has had eight patients in the ICU and he fears this is only the beginning.
“Estimated risk of dying from this is about a one in three chance,” Dr. Gholam said.
He's been treating mushroom poisoning patients since 2009 and since then, 29 have died. The most he's ever seen in a year is eleven cases, but he believes this year may surpass that number.
"I thought this never happened before October, and I've never seen a case after Oct. 25," Dr. Gholam said.
Bill Hickman is one of the lucky ones. As we reported last year, the Portage County beekeeper picked and ate what he thought were edible mushrooms from his yard. He used a plant identifier app, but it was wrong. He consumed Death Cap mushrooms, also known as Angel Destroyers or Death Angels.
Monica Robins reports. --
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