The New England Journal of Medicine shares the tale of a 72-year-old man in Switzerland who prepared a delicious meal with shiitake mushrooms. Little did he know that consuming these mushrooms would result in an unexpected ailment.
Two days after eating the meal, the man developed a terrible itchy rash on his back. The rash started to spread from his back to his upper buttocks, and it was so uncomfortable that it kept him awake all night. Aside from the rash, the man had no other symptoms, which left him worried about the cause of this mysterious complaint.
He visited the hospital, where doctors examined him and discovered he had a condition called "shiitake dermatitis." This condition is a skin reaction that can occur when someone eats raw or undercooked shiitake mushrooms. The rash has a unique appearance, with red, puffy lines and patches.
The doctors told the man that his condition would heal on its own, but they gave him some creams and medicines to help reduce the itchiness. They also advised him to always cook shiitake mushrooms thoroughly before eating them to prevent this from happening again.
Two weeks later, the man's itchiness had improved, but he still had some dark patches of skin from the rash. This is a common effect after skin inflammation.
I had no idea undercooked shiitake mushrooms were toxic. Next time I eat some, I'm going to cook them until they're crispy!
