A routine afternoon in the garden sent a 72-year-old Sydney man to hospital. Health authorities say a few simple precautions can reduce the risk of serious illness.
Hawkesbury gardeners are being reminded to take care when opening and handling potting mix, compost and garden soil following a warning about potentially dangerous bacteria contained in common gardening products.
The warning is particularly relevant across the Hawkesbury, where gardening, horticulture and small-scale food production are part of everyday life for many residents.
Sydney gardener Robert, 72, told SBS News he “didn’t think twice” about handling potting mix without taking the precautions printed on its packaging.
He later attended an emergency department after developing Pontiac fever, a generally milder illness caused by exposure to Legionella bacteria. Unlike Legionnaires’ disease, Pontiac fever does not cause pneumonia and usually resolves without specific treatment.
Robert recovered, but said the experience had changed the way he approached gardening.
“I never really thought twice about handling potting mix. You just open the bag and get stuck into it,” he told SBS News.
“After getting sick from it, I’ll definitely be wearing a mask and gloves because it’s just not worth taking the risk of getting something worse next time.”
One bacterium of concern is Legionella longbeachae, which occurs naturally in soil and can be present in potting mix, compost and other garden products.
It differs from Legionella pneumophila, the species more commonly associated with contaminated cooling towers and other water systems.
When dry potting mix is opened, poured or disturbed, fine dust can become airborne. The bacteria may then be inhaled into the lungs. Contaminated material may also be transferred from the hands to the mouth.
Most people who use potting mix do not become ill, but infection can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially serious form of pneumonia.
People aged over 50, smokers and those with chronic medical conditions or weakened immune systems face a greater risk of developing severe illness.
Possible symptoms include fever, chills, coughing, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, diarrhoea and vomiting. Symptoms may develop between two and 10 days after exposure.
Anyone who becomes unwell after handling potting mix, compost or soil should seek medical advice and tell the doctor about the recent gardening exposure. Severe breathing difficulties require urgent medical attention.
NSW Health and the Australian Centre for Disease Control recommend several straightforward precautions:
- Read and follow the safety warnings printed on potting-mix bags.
- Open bags outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- Wear gardening gloves and a well-fitting mask, preferably a P2 or N95 mask.
- Open bags carefully with scissors and keep the opening away from the face.
- Wet the potting mix before handling it to reduce airborne dust.
- Avoid breathing in dust while pouring or mixing the product.
- Wash hands thoroughly with soap after gardening and before eating, drinking or smoking.
Potting mix is not considered inherently unsafe, and millions of bags are handled without incident. However, experts say the consequences can be severe for vulnerable people and the precautions printed on bags should not be ignored.
For Hawkesbury residents preparing spring gardens, vegetable beds and potted plants, the message is simple: dampen the mix, cover your hands and face, and wash carefully afterwards.
This article is based partly on reporting by Mikele Syron for SBS News, with additional health information from NSW Health and the Australian Centre for Disease Control.
