General Chat

Wow that is frightening Diana..

We never know the time or the hour do we?

Which is just as well really.

Deanna X

A mushroom farmer friend of my sister caught this disease a few years ago,and died of the complaint,but this man was working in those damp conditions every day,turfing out mushroom spore onto the land every week.
It has to be said that his wife ,children ,and other workers on the same farm,where fine when checked out.
A million to one shot Puss,he he,if you catch it ,you can come back and haunt me lol,you stand more chance of running foul [yuk] of a mad Specky ,on finding a second goat in the garden..Fred.xxxx

It is extremely rare.... and less likely than being hit by a bus as you cross the road! But it is more likely if you are slower than normal crossing the road!! But then you take proper precautions.

Puss will need to make sure that her chooks are kept clean and their straw and feed is not allowed to get damp and mouldy.....she is a little more likely to get it if it is around as she has a condition which makes her more susceptible.... but it is very very rare in the hobbyist gardener, which is what most of us are..... it usually affects those who work with the grain/feed/bedding constantly as part of their day to day business, and have developed a sensitivity. It is rare, even with this group of people... I believe you might find some information on the Health and Safety Executive website if you are worried about it... I am sure there is a leaflet you can download free!

Love

Daff xxx

Edit... I meant that this sort of reaction is rare!! The spore that causes it is actually all around us, much of the time, worse during some types of weather than others!! Many many asthmatics will have a reaction to it at some time.... but it is very rare for that reaction to develop to multiple organ failure, as with this guy! xxxx

scary,,,,cap and gown needed then while turing it over then !!!,,, think that is a very rare case,,but still needs to be digested,

Thanks Diana, useful info.

that's worrying Diana, will have to warn o.h. as we have two compost heaps.

Lizx


Have to say I wondered how you came to find this, are you making a compost heap or just browsing lol

Just found this.....................................................

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.

"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."