Man Dies of Fungal Infection Linked to Gardening
I just read a frightening story that was published in The Lancet, one of the world’s most respected medical publications.
Apparently a man died after clearing away rotting trees and plant mulch from his garden. As the man was completing the task, he was literally engulfed in a cloud of dust his wife described. Within 5 days, he died in a nearby hospital. He apparently breathed some aspergillus spores which could be deadly in some cases.
About a year ago, I know someone who contracted a serious staph infection after gardening without gloves. There’s a lesson to be learned from this. Wear protection on you hands and wear a mask if you are creating a lot of dust in your garden. If you are going to be kneeling down to do your gardening work, either sit on a stool as an alternative or wear long pants until you’re finished.
Your health matters.
