WA Health warn of Legionnaires’ disease while gardening this spring

WA Health is urging green thumbs planning to take of advantage of the warmer weather to take care in the garden to avoid a potentially deadly bacterial infection.

Cases of Legionnaires’ disease — a severe form of pneumonia contracted by breathing in dust from soil contaminated with legionella bacteria — often increase at this time of year as people start their springtime planting.

The Legionella longbeachae bacteria is commonly found in gardening products including bagged potting mix, mulch and compost while another strain — Legionella pneumophilia — contaminates water in air conditioning, fountains, shower heads, whirlpool spas and misting systems.

There have been 187 notifications of Legionnaires’ disease linked to soils since the beginning of 2020 and 112 of those cases required hospitalisation.

The risk and severity of infection increases for older people, smokers, or those with weakened immune systems.

WA Environmental Health acting executive director Peter Gray said gardeners could take simple precautions to reduce the risk when using bagged and bulk garden soils.

“This includes wearing gloves and a well-fitting disposable mask, opening bagged potting mix carefully using scissors and keeping potting mix damp while in use,” he said.

“People should also wash their hands after handling potting mix and before removing their mask. And always store your potting mix in a cool, dry place out of the sun.”

Sufferers of Legionnaires’ disease experience an illness like a severe ‘flu’ infection that can develop up to 10 days after exposure to the bacteria.

Symptoms can include fever, chills, aching muscles and joints, a dry cough, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite and shortness of breath.

WA Health urged anyone with symptoms to see their doctor or visit the emergency department.