Health experts call for warning labels on compost following reports of three cases of Legionnaire's disease in Scotland, including one fatality.
The cases were reported between 2008 and 2009 and, while the exact method of transmission is still not fully understood, it is thought the disease was passed on when the victims inhaled droplets of moisture in the compost. Following the news, the NHS is now considering a review of compost labelling in the UK.
One of the Scottish victims, a keen gardener, had spent long periods of time in the greenhouse and used potting compost to pot plants. After being admitted to hospital with Legionnaire's last year, the patient died as a result of multiple organ failure.
The first reported case in 2008 saw the victim treated in hospital for several months after growing tomatoes using potting compost in a conservatory attached to the house.
The Scottish victims are the first cases of Legionnaire's in the UK to be linked to gardening products. However, it is well recognised in Australia and New Zealand, where composts, soil conditioners and mulches are required to carry warning labels and promote safe and healthy gardening practices. Public health advice also includes the risk of Legionnaire's disease following exposure to compost or potting soil.
Until recently, contamination of soil by the bacterium Legionella was considered to be limited to Australia. However, cases of Legionnaire's disease linked to gardening or use of potting mixes have since been identified in Japan, the US, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
The findings were published in a report in the Eurosurveillance journal.