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rjbl · 17-07-2009, 10:23 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening,rec.gardens,rec.gardens.edible

wrote:
In article ,
RJBL wrote:
Cl. tetani; Cl. Welchii; various E.coli and salmonella strains and
Cryptosporidium all are risks from the use of farmyard and stable
manures. Historically, the biggest risk to agricultural labourers and
gardeners has been tetanus and gas-gangrene infections of, often, very
trivial wounds. The extent to which the organic veg growing fad has been
responsible for the increase, over the last few decades is unestimated.
Best to keep your AT injections up to date and wash and boil everything
that you eat from your veg / salad patch

Oh, nuts! WHAT increase in tetanus and gas-gangrene in the UK?

The historical dangers were because a LOT of farm animals died from
tetanus, anthrax etc. and the spores were everywhere. Well, they
still are, but are not transmitted by that route any more because
of the efficiency with which infected animals are detected and
disposed of. Yes, keep your tetanus innoculation up to date, but
don't use two century old information as a guide to safe practices.

A lot of the others you mention are something that most people have
some immunity to, or even aren't pathogens at all (for example, you
NEED E. coli to stay healthy). There is also increasing evidence
that preventing children from being exposed to them increases the
risk of much more serious problems. Exercise your immune system
and stop fussing.

Yes, of course, some people are at special risk. Don't START
training your immune system in old age or when ill, and so on.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.
Sorry missing clause in original post. Should have read :-

The extent to which the organic veg growing fad has been responsible for the increase, over the last few decades, in enteric illness is unestimated.

The various enteritis illness, some trivial some not so, have increased
in frequency by a couple of orders of magnitude since the 1960's. If you
refer back to your old bacteriology notes you will see that Cl. tet. and
Cl Wel. are both common commensals in the herbivore gut and their
sporulation occurs in the soil after the horse or cow has excreted the
bugs. Sure, tetanus and gas-gangrene are now rare in the UK; probably
because any injury requiring even outpatient treatment get an AT shot as
routine. From time to time cases occur of very trivial injuries - eg
thorn prickles whilst pruning, which are not considered worth further
attention until tetanus has developed.

Yep, we all need or resident E. coli - but not one of the enteropathic
strains. If you are into organic methods treat any edible produce as
contaminated

rjbl