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

[Guest guest]

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.

[Guest guest]

SEAMS PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT IT'S ALL ABOUT THE

DOSE.INSIDE,OUTSIDE,TOXIC MOLD DUST. SORRY CAPS, anyone that doesnt

get the simple logic of it all needs their head examined. there

doesn't have to be predisposeing factors, it's toxic mold dust,the

factor is the amount, toxic overload to the body, to high and the

body shuts down.

one time massive dose =death.

toxic mold dust-hay barns,grain bins,feed lots,

rain soaked timber ground,compost,particles settled in grass/cutting

grass and stirring it up,in the fields,in the air, dust filtered and

tracked into homes in the walls,leaky pipes,in the carpets.attic dust

plus leaky roof,basement dust plus leaky basement,in the forced air

systems. inside or outside toxic mold dust.

--- In , " tigerpaw2c " <tigerpaw2c@...>

wrote:

>

> 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.

>