Five mushroom poisonings in Frosinone leave twelve ill and four hospitalized in Rome

Five episodes in about two weeks

The Asl of Frosinone raised the alarm on Monday, 9 November 2026, after a run of mushroom poisonings across the province. Five episodes between 28 October and 9 November involved twelve people according to ANSA and Rai, while Il Messaggero and Fanpage put the figure at roughly ten. ANSA describes the most serious of the five as the case recorded the previous day, Sunday, 8 November. Most of those affected developed gastroenteric syndromes, with vomiting and diarrhoea in about 80% of cases, Fanpage reports. The cases clustered at weekends, when walks in the woods after rain and mild temperatures made foraged mushrooms easier to find. Il Messaggero links the episodes to two causes: toxic species eaten by mistake and chiodini that were not cooked properly.

Four hospitalized after an Amanita mix-up

According to the Asl, four people ate Amanita phalloides at lunch on Monday, taking it for the common chiodini (Armillaria mellea), also known as 'famigliola'. Amanita phalloides is among the most poisonous mushrooms in the world, and its amatoxins can cause severe liver damage that may progress to potentially fatal liver failure. Two of the patients were taken to the Umberto I polyclinic and two to the Agostino Gemelli polyclinic, both in Rome. Fanpage reported that all four were still receiving care there, while Il Messaggero described all four as in serious condition.

An earlier case and the chiodini rule

On Sunday, 8 November, a lunchtime episode involved Entoloma sinuatum together with inadequately treated Armillaria mellea, according to Fanpage, which counts it among the most serious cases of the period. Il Messaggero says this happened roughly twenty-four hours before the Amanita case. Chiodini are the only widely eaten species that must be boiled before consumption, and the cooking water has to be discarded to avoid gastrointestinal poisoning. Rai reports that the Asl reminded residents of this rule, since improperly prepared chiodini were among the reported episodes. Il Messaggero describes Entoloma sinuatum as a strongly toxic mushroom that causes severe gastroenteric syndromes.

Asl guidance and checks

Immacolata Verdicchio, head of the UOC SIAN unit at the Asl di Frosinone, credited the health authority's mycological surveillance network with the speed of the diagnoses. Verdicchio explained the approach to Rai:

“Thanks to rapid mycological diagnoses, it was possible to adopt the most appropriate supportive therapies and, in the most serious cases, promptly arrange the transfer of patients.”

The Asl also urges anyone who has gathered mushrooms to have them checked by the mycological inspectorates, a free local service that verifies whether a species is edible. Rai notes that the service is active across the territory. The health authority has run prevention and awareness campaigns on mushroom safety for years, Fanpage reports. Its message is to have foraged mushrooms checked before eating them and to boil chiodini as required.