Geneva, October 18: A 72-year old man developed a rare skin condition from eating undercooked shiitake mushrooms. The man reportedly developed a painful rash that crosshatched his entire back after eating the undercooked shiitake mushrooms. However, the situation was temporary as the man got back to full health without any long-lasting problems.

According to a description of the case published on October 12 in The New England Journal of Medicine, the man visited a local emergency department in Switzerland’s Geneva two days after having an itchy rash across his back and upper buttocks. The itch was so intense that he couldn’t sleep. UK Woman Suffers From Rare Condition Where Her Skin 'Eats Itself', Narrates Her Ordeal of Painful Days After Treatment.

Live Science reported that the doctors at the hospital traced back his discomfort to his consumption of undercooked shiitake mushrooms. New Zealand: Woman Accused of Faking Illness by Doctor Dies of Rare Disorder Called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

At first glance, doctors found his skin swollen as if he had been whipped across his back and the top of his butt. He was later diagnosed with “shiitake dermatitis,” which occurs when someone eats raw or undercooked mushrooms. Fortunately, the condition tends to resolve on its own with time.

The man was advised to thoroughly cook his mushrooms in the future and when the man went to the doctor again during his follow-up appointment two weeks later, his itching had improved, but there were still some areas of darker skin.

What is Shiitake Mushroom Dermatitis?

Shiitake dermatitis is mostly seen in Asian countries where the mushrooms are most commonly eaten. But the growing worldwide popularity of this fungi has led some doctors, warn that we may see more cases of this condition in the future.

Doctors advise to cook mushrooms thoroughly before consumption to prevent Shiitake dermatitis. Also, the shiitake mushrooms are currently ranking as the second most consumed mushroom globally. Therefore, professionals should be well-informed about this condition to treat patients better.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2023 09:43 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).