Abstract:Objective To understand the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of poisonous mushroom poisoning in Zhejiang Province, and to provide scientific basis for the early warning and prevention and control of mushroom poisoning. Methods The epidemiological characteristics of mushroom poisoning outbreaks in Zhejiang Province reported by the Foodborne Illness Outbreak Monitoring System during 2010-2016 were analyzed by descriptive analysis. Results A total of 42 mushroom poisoning outbreaks were reported in these 7 years. There were 192 cases of poisoning and 13 cases of death. The number of deaths accounted for 76.5% (13/17) of the total deaths from foodborne illness in the province. The year with the most incidence was 2016, accounting for 40.5% (17/42) of the total. June to October was the peak time of mushrooms poisoning, accounting for 95.2% (40/42) of outbreaks and 97.9% (188/192) of cases of poisoning respectively. The cases of death were all reported during June to August. The majority of mushroom poisonings occurred in family setting, accounting for 83.3% (35/42) of the total incidence. Hangzhou, Jinhua and Shaoxing were the top three cities with the most outbreaks, while Ninghai County, Tonglu County and Shengzhou City were the top three counties (cities, districts). The main symptom was gastroenteritis, accounting for 72.4% (139/192) of all cases of poisoning. The incubation period varied from 18 min up to 15 h, with the median of 2 h. In two outbreaks involving severe organ damage cases, the peptide toxins of Amanita mushrooms were detected. Conclusion Poisonous mushroom poisoning was the main cause of death from foodborne illness in Zhejiang Province. Countermeasures should be taken to monitor and intervene in high-incidence seasons, high-incidence areas and high-risk populations, and to improve the general public's capability of self-protection.