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Ian Clayton of Hastings says it’s “great to be alive” after contracting the disease from potting mix.
“I was doing my gardening, using potting mix, and like a normal kiwi, you read the labels on the potting mix but you don’t do anything about it.
“Like a normal Kiwi boy, he didn’t have a mask or gloves. That will never happen again.”
The 59-year-old enthusiastic gardener was using potting mix to plant some seedlings in his greenhouse about two and a half weeks ago.
He started to feel bad, but thought he was just getting the flu. He began to have a fever, with a mild cough that then progressed to coughing up blood.
He was diagnosed with Legionnaires in the emergency department at Hawke’s Bay Hospital and spent three days in a ward receiving the medicine his body needed to recover.
And for seven days he slept only seven hours.
“I contracted Legionnaires’ disease through the potting mix, which left me on my back for six days,” he said.
“I’m a fit and healthy Kiwi guy, this thing has turned me on my back for six days.”
Clayton urged outfielders to wear a mask and gloves, as he didn’t want anyone to go through what he had to go through after becoming the second person to be diagnosed with the disease recently.
Rachel Eyre, Hawke’s Bay DHB Medical Health Officer, said both legionnaires’ cases, a serious and life-threatening illness, were investigated and were likely caused by inhaling dust particles from the potting mix.
“Gardeners are at increased risk for Legionnaires’ disease, as Legionella bacteria, which live in moist organic material, thrive in bags of potting mix and compost,” Eyre said.
“Since people enjoy a warmer climate and go out into their gardens, it is important that they understand the dangers of inhaling the dust from potting mix or compost that can cause Legionnaires’ disease, which is a form of pneumonia. .
“Cases tend to increase in New Zealand in early November, but in Hawke’s Bay we typically see cases reported starting in September attributed to our increased gardening activity.”
Eyre said that between 2015 and 2019, 16 people from Hawke’s Bay had been diagnosed with legionnaires, 14 of whom had needed hospital care.
Symptoms can include cough, fever, chills, diarrhea, shortness of breath, headaches, vomiting, and / or diarrhea.
According to the Ministry of Health, Legionellosis is caused by the common Legionella bacteria, which lives in the environment, especially in soil, compost, potting sludge and any type of water system (for example, spa pools, water tanks, Hot water).
The Ministry of Health states that Legionellosis is not common in New Zealand and the natural immunity of most people prevents them from getting sick when exposed to Legionella bacteria.
All ages can be affected but the disease mainly affects people over 50 years of age, and generally men more than women. Smokers or ex-smokers, heavy drinkers, and people with compromised immune systems are at higher risk.
Susceptible people get Legionellosis by breathing airborne particles from a water source that contains Legionella bacteria or after inhaling dust from the ground.
Once in the lungs, the bacteria multiply and can cause a mild illness without pneumonia called Pontiac fever or a more serious illness with pneumonia (Legionnaires’ disease).
The infection is not contagious and you cannot catch it from another person.
