CENTERVILLE, Ohio (WDTN) — As more people hit the trails with cooler temperatures, wild mushrooms will also emerge, and some of them can land you in the hospital.

Dr. Don Cipollini, Wright State University professor of Biology said, “There are lots of things in nature that can kill you if you make a mistake, and that can be true for lots of mushroom species.”

The “destroying angel” and the “death cap”, both a part of the Amanita species, are two of the deadliest mushrooms in the world, accounting for a majority of worldwide mushroom deaths, and they can be found in the woodlands here in the Miami Valley.

As temperatures cool, these species will begin to pop up in forests where humidity is high, temperatures are cooler, and where recent heavy rain fell, and these mushrooms form a relationship with other plants to allow both to grow at the same time.

Dr. Cipollini said, “What we call mycorrhizal fungi. They interact with living plant roots and in a symbiotic way, but then produce these reproductive fruiting bodies that are the most apparent part of the mushroom and is also the spore producing part of the life cycle.”

Only a small portion of mushrooms are poisonous to humans, but it takes an expert with years of experience to differentiate between poisonous and edible mushrooms.

Dr. Cipollini said, “There are keys to those that are poisonous, but to the random person who’s not well-trained should simply avoid eating wild mushrooms because they can kill you.”

Common symptoms of poisoning include vomiting or diarrhea, and cramps within the first several hours of consumption. If untreated, the toxin could cause organ damage or even death.

Dr. Rukan Ahmed, Kettering Health Primary Care osteopathic doctor said, “What they call rhabdomyolysis, which is, you know, muscle like protein, break down, releases that into the blood, which can cause all sorts of problem, including like renal failure. So kidney failure, you know, liver failure.”

He continued saying, “And if it’s not addressed, you know, soon enough, then people can go on to complete organ failure and even require transplants.”

If you think you or someone else has consumed a poisonous mushroom, contact the poison control center at 800-222-1222.

You can find a guide to help identify different mushroom species here.