In message
"Isleman" Isleman@home wrote:

This is a new one on me, just goes to show how dangerous it is out there in
the garden!!

"A man has died after inhaling lethal spores which grew on rotting compost
in his garden.

The 47-year-old fell ill less than 24 hours after being engulfed by "clouds
of dust" while working with rotting tree and plant mulch.
At first medics thought the previously healthy welder had pneumonia when he
was admitted with severe breathing problems.

But when antibiotics failed to help, tests showed evidence of Aspergillosis,
a reaction to Aspergillus spores.

The fungus is commonly found growing on dead leaves, stored grain, compost
piles or decaying vegetation.

Its spores may trigger a relatively harmless allergic reaction or a much
more serious destructive infection that begins in the lungs and spreads to
other parts of the body.

The man's death - which followed kidney failure and treatment on a heart and
lung machine - was reported in The Lancet medical journal.

Doctors, led by Dr David Waghorn from Wycombe Hospital in Buckinghamshire,
wrote: "Unlike most patients with acute, invasive aspergillosis, our patient
did not seem to be immunosuppressed."



Andy

"However, smoking and welding could have damaged his lungs, increasing his
vulnerability.

"Since he died so quickly, we cannot exclude the possibility that he had an
undetected immunodeficiency."

They concluded: "Acute aspergillosis after contact with decayed plant matter
is rare, but may be considered an occupational hazard for gardeners."

I saw that headline on somebody else's newspaper on the Metro. At
first I was doubtful as to whether the cause had been correctly
reported, but after reading these details, I am convinced it has been.

This is an acute form of "farmer's lung", well described in the
literature. But usually it is a "chronic" illness, slowly progressing,
causing increasing breathlessness. This acute form is very rare.

A FAR GREATER DANGER is the "Confined space" danger. Living plant
material (eg. grain in silos) OR rotting plant material (the fungi are
living) use up oxygen and give out carbon dioxide (well, we animals do
the same in our breathing) and if there is inadequate ventilation a
person may be suffocated. The warning signs may be mistaken for
breathlessness caused by exertion and loss of conciousness is very
sudden.

It KILLS.

It used to be my trade. Be wary of large amounts of plant material in
unventilated spaces. Good ventilation, a large fan or the wind blowing
THROUGH the space (not just ACROSS the opening) are strong safeguards.

TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.

Michael Bell




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