13 11 26

News

06/04/2010

Death cap mushrooms

NSW Poisons, along with ACT Health, warns of the dangers of toxicity from field mushrooms. Autumn is a common time for city and country folk alike to go mushroom picking. NSW Poisons Centre receives many calls each year regarding serious illness from toxic mushrooms, which can appear similar to everyday edible mushrooms, to even experienced mushroom-pickers. Dr. Naren Gunja was recently interviewed on ABC Radio (Drive with Richard Glover, Monday 29th March), and warned of several toxic mushrooms species which can be found in Eastern Australia, in particular the "death cap" - Amanita phalloides. This white-gilled mushroom is responsible for the most number of mushroom-related toxic deaths worldwide. The public should also be aware that the death cap mushroom can appear similar to edible mushrooms, particularly if juvenile or small. Should you experience any symptoms following mushroom ingestion, please contact the NSW Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 urgently.

ACT Health Fact sheet on Death Cap mushrooms

07/01/2009

Summer Bites

The NSW Poisons Information Centre has been busy over the summer dealing with numerous snake and spider bites. With the warmer weather coming on earlier we have noticed an increased frequency of snake bites occurring earlier in the summer than usual.

If you live near the bush or are planning to bushwalk, please keep a splint and crepe bandage handy in case of snake bite. Information on what to do if you are bitten by a spider or snake can be found on our Bites & Stings page, including how to apply a pressure immobilisation bandage. A fact sheet can be downloaded here

Click here to read the 'Summer Bites and Venom Flows' news article in The Australian.

05/11/2007

The Children's Hospital at Westmead has made headlines this week in a breakthrough discovery of a poisonous substance in the Bindeez beads toy.

Congratulations to our staff at the NSW Poisons Information Centre, Emergency Department and Biomedical Genetics for this diligent, speedy discovery, in particular to Scientist Kevin Carpenter, Dr Naren Gunja and Simon Gilmore of the Poisons Information Centre.

After two patients presented with similar symptoms, quick detective work uncoverered the swallowed chemical in the bead changed to GHB (liquid ecstasy) in the body. This work and its prompt communication in the interests of public health has saved other children from ill-health and this has been recognised by NSW Health who issued a media release giving credit to the Hospital.

The Deputy Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant said scientists and clinicians at The Children's Hospital at Westmead had identified the cause of illness affecting two children admitted to the Hospital.

"The persistence of the clinicians and scientists at The Children's Hospital at Westmead led to the successful identification of the toxin that had affected the two children."

Please click here for more information.