Sabrina Hahn: As spring arrives it brings with it the risk of Legionnaires’ disease. Here’s how to prevent it

Spring is a very busy time in the garden with gardeners potting up new plants, filling garden beds with new soil and making the garden sing for spring. There’s so many products available to the home gardener to benefit both plants and the soil they grow in. With the warmer weather luring people back into their gardens, WA Health is warning the community to protect themselves from a potentially deadly bacterial infection. Health statistics show cases of Legionnaires’ disease often increase at this time of the year as people start their springtime planting. Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia, which can occur when a person breathes in water droplets or dust contaminated with legionella bacteria. People risk infection from breathing in the Legionella longbeachae bacteria when using bagged potting mixes, compost, mulches and bulk soil supplies. The other common legionella bacteria — Legionella pneumophila — is the one that contaminates air-conditioning cooling towers, whirlpool spas, shower heads and bodies of water. WA Health’s executive director environmental health Dr Mike Lindsay said there had been 156 notifications of Legionnaires’ disease attributed to exposure to garden soils and/or potting mix since the beginning of 2020. “Of these, 97 cases required hospitalisation and, sadly, two of these cases died,” he said. Early symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease are like a severe flu-like infection and can develop up to 10 days after exposure to the bacteria. Symptoms can include fever, chills, aching muscles and joints, a dry cough, headache (often severe), tiredness, loss of appetite and shortness of breath. Dr Lindsay said the risk and severity of infection increased for older people, smokers or those with weakened immune systems. Infections were potentially fatal in up to 10 per cent of cases. There are some very simple measures gardeners can practise to prevent exposure to legionella bacteria when handling potting mix and other compost materials: • Wet down the potting mix to reduce the dust and open it slowly with a pair of scissors with the bag away from your face. • Store potting mix in a cool area away from direct sunlight. • Wear tight-fitting gloves. • Wash your hands after handling potting mix or soil, and before eating, drinking or smoking. • Wear a well-fitting disposable mask so that any dust is filtered out before you breathe it in. • Make sure the working area (glasshouse, potting shed) is well ventilated. • See a doctor if you develop a flu-like illness which is worsening as early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics improves outcomes. For more information visit the Healthy WA website. Tip Always wash your hands after handling soil even if you wear gloves. Legionella bacteria can remain on hands contaminated by potting mix for up to one hour. 3 jobs to do 1. In spring feed up your veggies and fruit trees with HwH Grow Up foliar fertiliser and Seaweed Plus. 2. Lawn will be waking up and starting to show healthy green growth. Mow the weeds down and spread a thin layer of lawn reviver. 3. Spray Yates Nature’s Way Dipel on all the Hairy Mary caterpillars eating their way through the garden.