Introduction: In 2023, two fatalities attributed to the ingestion of uncooked morels (Morchella spp.) were reported in the United States; both patients developed severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Morel-induced gastrointestinal toxicity is well recognized, but no deaths had been reported until 2023, suggesting a potential shift in the severity of morel poisoning.
Methods: Using the Poisoning Severity Score, we analyzed the severity of symptomatic cases of morel ingestion recorded in the French National Database of Poisonings from 2010 to 2020.
Results: We found 446 cases of exposure in which morels were the sole mushroom species involved. Of these, 83.6 per cent and 53.3 per cent developed gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, respectively. Eight patients developed shock attributed to severe gastrointestinal symptoms, resulting in two deaths.
Discussion: Morel ingestion can lead to severe complications. As in the United States, the deaths reported in this study were attributed to imported cultivated morels. The shift, since 2006, towards a predominance of cultivated over wild morel sales may have played a role in the reporting of severe cases of morel poisoning.
Conclusions: Reports of severe morel poisoning highlight the need for cautious consumption, particularly of raw or undercooked preparations. Emerging complications signal potential changes in toxicity. Surveillance and awareness are key to reducing the risks of consuming morels.
Keywords: Ascomycota; foodborne diseases; gastrointestinal symptoms; morel mushrooms; mushroom poisoning; poison centres.