Legionnaire’s Disease

by Sandra McDonald

(Reprinted from The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of The American Rhododendron Society newsletter.)

            Your editor recently discovered an article about the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reporting several cases of Legionnaire’s Disease (Legionella longbeachae) on the West Coast a couple of years ago.  A report in the Journal of American Medical Association said these would be the first recorded transmissions of Legionnaire’s Disease from potting soil in the U.S.  Several cases were previously reported in Australia and Japan in recent years.

            Legionnaire’s Disease is an acute, respiratory infection that causes flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, fatigue and body aches that develop into pneumonia.  Legionnaire’s Disease (LD) was first reported in 1976.  Outbreaks have been associated with airborne transmission of Legionella bacteria through cooling towers, showers, and other aerosolizing devices.  However, most Legionnaire’s Disease cases are sporadic, and the source and mode of infection in many cases are unknown.

Australia has issued a health warning to all gardeners to take precautions when using potting mix.  Persons using potting soil and who wish to take precautions that may reduce the very small [emphasis added] potential risk of illness even further may consider the following recommendations:

            * open potting mix bags with care to avoid inhaling airborne potting mix

            * moisten the contents of bag by making a small opening and inserting a garden hose to dampen the potting mix

            * wear gloves to avoid transferring potting mix from hand to mouth

            * always wash hands after handling potting mix, even if gloves have been worn

            * take same precautions when handling soil, peat, mulch and garden composts

            More information about Legionnaire’s Disease is available at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website: http://www.cdc.gov.