Garden Fungus Kills British Man
47-Year-Old Dies of Fungal Lung Infection After Spreading Mulch

By Daniel J. DeNoon
WebMD Medical News

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD

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Garden Fungus Kills British Man

June 12, 2008 — A fungal lung infection, aspergillosis, killed a healthy 47-year-old British man who inhaled dust stirred up while mulching his garden.

Aspergillus fungus is commonly found in rotting plant material, and that's where the man apparently inhaled the fungal spores.

"His symptoms had started less than 24 hours after he had dispersed rotting tree and plant mulch in the garden, when clouds of dust had engulfed him," report Katherine Russell, MBBS, and colleagues at Wycombe Hospital in Buckinghamshire, England.

Unfortunately, by the time the man's doctors realized he had a fungal infection and began appropriate treatment, it was too late to save him.

It's hard to totally avoid aspergillus spores. That makes the fungus a serious threat to transplant patients, to people with immune deficiencies, to patients with lung disease, and to other critically ill patients.

But it's unusual for the bug to colonize people with healthy immune systems and healthy lungs. The British victim smoked a half pack of cigarettes a day and worked as a welder, so it's possible he had undetected lung damage. However, a similar fatal case — in a healthy British gardener — was reported in 1989.

Aspergillus can cause several different types of disease:

An allergic reaction in the lungs — allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis — mostly seen in people with cystic fibrosis or asthma.
Fungus balls — aspergillomas — usually in the lung.
A long-lasting lung infection called chronic necrotizing aspergillosis, usually seen in patients with chronic lung disease or immune deficiency.
Acute, fast-moving infection — invasive pulmonary aspergillosis — that usually affects the lungs but which can spread to any part of the body, including the brain.
It was this last kind of infection that killed the British man.

Aspergillus infections can be treated with antifungal drugs. But diagnosis is tricky, and treatment is most effective when started soon after infection.

Symptoms of aspergillosis include fever, chest pain, cough, and shortness of breath. If you have these symptoms, especially in the days or weeks after serious dust exposure, you should see a doctor right away.

Russell and colleagues report their findings in the June 14 issue of The Lancet.

SOURCES: Russell, K. The Lancet, June 14, 2008; vol 371: pp 2056. Zuk, J.A. Thorax, 1989; vol 44: pp 678-679. Zmeili, O.S. and Soubani, A.O. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 2007; vol 100: pp 317-334. CDC web site.

Yikes. That's tragic. Very sad also.

t_b, know that you do this task, and wonder how people in the field take care of themselves with this form of bacteria, and the many others that can be found in the garden? Especially, even in some rural areas, e.g., live Anthrax bacteria is in the earth alive and well! Much is in the ground, especially around fresh digging, and poking about the weeds and bushes. Out this way for example, pigeon droppings can form into a dust, when disturbed, and broken up, maybe inhaled into the lungs, which can cause hyperactive problems/thyroid issues-medications can deal with this condition fortunately-condition found usually in cats, and dogs.

Do notice that many workers do not ware any form of respirators/masks/ some, not even a handkerchief over nose/mouth to protect themselves. There are many killer bug sprays, and powders that garden workers use, and are exposed to each day ... would definitely have special free medical exams, and insurance for these trades, and any trade that is so exposed-would save a ton of money more by doing prevention, rather then paying expensive medical care after the fact.

Wow I had no idea! I just bagged 5 bags of much a couple of weeks ago because it had mushrooms growing in it. And the new pooch wanted to eat them, which is really bad.

Poor guy. And good points on protecting yourself DF

WOW, poor guy indeed. Thanks for the link DF