Re: Gardener dies as he breathes in deadly fungus from rotted leaves on compost

[Guest guest]

Doesn't seem that bizarre at all. " When tests revealed the presence

of the fungus, he was started on appropriate drugs "

Does anyone know what the drug/s was that they put him on? I mean it

had to be an anti-fungal medication of some kind. Just wondered

because doctors do not like putting people on that anti-fungal

medication unless absolutely necessary. llaci

[Guest guest]

KC -

This should be absolutely be sick building article, as it relates to

occupational exposure to a toxin. It blew me away and it is a

cautionary tale to those of us, (me included) who should have

protection when doing yardwork.

I think of schools, where when the wind blows hard in the fall, blows

pounds of leaves in the doorways - and what is " outside " becomes an

" inside " problem, or merely walking in the leaves in the fall, can

present a hazard, because you are transporting the fungus from the

leaves into the " inside " environment. Until they are removed, safely,

one hopes those leaves are an indoor hazard as well.

The story is shocking but plausible.

>

> I know this is not a sickbuilding article, but there are several

> people on this board who have mentioned a cloud of dust in their

> work environment and shortly after became ill. Even though this is a

> result of inhalation outside it still shows how this can affect

> people, whether you are inside or out. And damn those critics how

> keep boasting, " no one has ever died from mold " .

>

> Sharon

>

> Gardener dies as he breathes in deadly fungus from rotted leaves on

> compost heap

> Daily Mail - UK*

> By Fiona Macrae

> 13th June 2008

>

> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1026153/Gardener-dies-

> breathes-deadly-fungus-rotted-leaves-compost-heap.html

>

> Gardeners have been warned of a deadly fungus that lurks in compost

> heaps and piles of rotting leaves (picture posed by model)

> Gardeners have been put on alert for a deadly fungus that lurks in

> compost heaps and in piles of rotting leaves.

>

>

> Doctors issued the warning after a man died from inhaling the

> Aspergillus fungal spores.

>

>

> The 47-year-old, a welder from Buckinghamshire, became ill less than

> 24 hours after spreading rotting tree and plant mulch, the Lancet

> medical journal reports.

>

>

> In an article entitled Gardening Can Seriously Damage Your Health,

> the man's doctors said that while such an extreme reaction to the

> fungus was rare, it could be considered an 'occupational hazard' for

> gardeners.

>

> The unnamed man was admitted to Wycombe Hospital, Buckinghamshire,

> early last year suffering chest pain, shortness of breath, muscle

> pain and a cough.

>

>

> At first it was thought he had pneumonia, but a battery of

> antibiotics failed to improve his condition and within 24 hours he

> became so short of breath that he had to be transferred to intensive

> care.

>

>

> There his body became overwhelmed by the infection - his heart sped

> up, his blood pressure fell, his temperature rose and his kidneys

> started to slow down. When tests revealed the presence of the

> fungus, he was started on appropriate drugs and transferred to

> specialist regional centre, where he was placed on a heart-lung

> machine.

>

>

> However, his condition continued to worsen, and soon afterwards he

> developed kidney failure, and then died.

>

>

> Doctors who questioned the man's partner discovered that his

> symptoms had started just hours after he had been engulfed

> by 'clouds of dust' while dispersing rotting tree and plant mulch in

> his garden.

>

>

> It seems the dust was loaded with the Aspergillus fungus, which

> grows on soil, plant debris and rotting vegetation in the autumn and

> winter.

>

>

> Occasionally, it is found inside buildings, especially in air

> conditioning systems and hospitals.

>

>

> Most people are either immune to the fungus or have a sufficiently

> healthy immune system to fight the infection.

>

> But in asthma sufferers it can produce coughing and wheeziness.

>

>

> In people with weak or damaged immune systems, such as cancer

> patients undergoing chemotherapy and Aids patients, the fungus can

> cause pulmonary aspergillosis - the condition seen in this case.

>

>

> The doctors wrote that while the man was outwardly healthy, smoking

> and welding could have damaged his lungs, increasing his

> vulnerability.

>

>

> The British Lung Foundation advised gardeners to wear masks when

> working with large quantities of compost or leaves.

>

>

> A few months ago a man in Scotland caught Legionnaires' disease from

> a bag of fertiliser, and spent seven weeks in intensive care.

>