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http://www.strath.ac.uk/press/newsreleases/headline_752713_en.html
Crikey! People need to be told to wash their hands after?! More to the point, "human infection is very rare." Well... http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-09/l-rih092711.php
And there's more where that came from too, but let's leave it for now.
Legionella bacteria found in compost products
A study conducted at the University of Strathclyde investigating the presence of Legionella in compost, has found that the bacteria exist in a significant number of commercial products.
The research, the first substantial analysis of Legionella in UK composts, suggests that the bacteria are a common part of the microflora found within the composts tested.
It is widely recognised that Legionella bacteria are commonly present in the environment and the researchers have found that compost could be a potential source of infection.
Dr Tara K. Beattie, of the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said: “Disease causing micro-organisms are widespread in the environment, and therefore it is not too surprising that species of Legionella that can cause human disease are present in compost.
“Any environment where you have pathogenic bacteria could be a source of infection, and we already know that compost has been linked to human Legionella infection in countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
“Within the UK and across Europe composts have traditionally been composed of peat, whereas sawdust and bark are more often used to produce compost in Australia and New Zealand where Legionellosis associated with compost is more common.
“It may be that the change in composition of composts in the UK, moving away from peat based products, could be resulting in species such as Legionella longbeachae being present in compost and therefore more cases of infection could occur.”
The study was conducted by Dr Beattie, fellow academic Dr Charles Knapp, Strathclyde PhD student Sandra Currie and Dr Diane Lindsay of the Scottish Haemophilus, Legionella, Meningococcus and Pneumococcus Reference Laboratory.
Twenty two different brands of compost, commercially available in the UK, were examined for the presence of Legionella bacteria – 14 of those tested contained a variety of Legionella species. Some of the species found, for example Legionella longbeachae which was present in four brands, are known to have caused human disease.
Dr Beattie added: “A larger scale survey, covering a wider range of compost products is required to determine if these organisms, some disease causing, some not, are as widespread in composts as this initial study would suggest.
“It should be emphasised though, that although Legionella seem to be common in compost, human infection is very rare, especially if you consider the volume of compost sold and used.
“But with any potential source of infection precautions should always be taken. The occurrence of these bacteria in composts in Australia and New Zealand, and the cases of infection that have been traced to compost has resulted in hygiene warnings on compost packaging in these countries, and this is something manufacturers in the UK may wish to consider.”
The paper, ‘Legionella spp. in UK composts – a potential public health issue’ has been published by Clinical Microbiology and Infection and can be viewed online. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1469-0691.12381/abstract
Advice given by organisations such as Health Protection Scotland should be followed, for example, washing hands after using compost and when in the garden, and opening compost bags in well ventilated areas.
Further advice on safe compost use by Health Protection Scotland can be viewed online http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/resp/legionella.aspx#Longbeachae
1 October 2013
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Crikey! People need to be told to wash their hands after?! More to the point, "human infection is very rare." Well... http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-09/l-rih092711.php
Rhode Island Hospital finds lack of testing for Legionella
Current recommendations for testing missed 41 percent of cases
IMAGE: A study led by Leonard Mermel, D.O., of Rhode Island Hospital shows that guidelines for testing patients for possible community-acquired pneumonia due to Legionella may underestimate the number of cases...
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A new study from Rhode Island Hospital shows that guidelines concerning testing patients for possible community-acquired pneumonia due to Legionella may underestimate the number of cases being seen by clinicians. The study found that if testing was only done in patients felt to be at increased risk of Legionnaires' disease based on such guidelines, more than 40 percent of Legionella cases could be missed based on this single-center study. The researchers suggest more widespread testing for Legionella in patients admitted to hospitals with pneumonia. The study is published in BMC Infectious Diseases and is now available online in advance of print.
Legionella is the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease, a dangerous and potentially fatal infectious disease. In the Infectious Diseases Society of American (IDSA) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) community-acquired pneumonia guidelines, testing for the urine antigen of Legionella is recommended for patients with any of the following: severe pneumonia requiring intensive care unit admission, failure of outpatient antibiotics, active alcohol abuse, history of travel within previous two weeks, or pleural effusion.
Leonard Mermel, DO, medical director of the epidemiology and infection control department at Rhode Island Hospital, is the senior author of this retrospective study that identified nearly 4,000 patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of pneumonia in an 18-month period. Of those patients, 35 percent had a Legionella urine antigen testing or had a Legionella culture performed. In addition, 44 percent of patients who had a bronchoscopy had a specimen sent for Legionella culture and/or had Legionella urine antigen testing. Of the patients with pneumonia due to Legionella, only 22 percent met the IDSA/ATC criteria recommending Legionella testing.
Mermel says, "This single-center study suggests that current recommendations for Legionella testing will result in missed cases. More widespread testing will identify additional cases allowing focused antimicrobial therapy and will alert public health officials of such Legionella cases".
Co-author Brian Hollenbeck, M.D., adds, "Legionella is a severe cause of community- and hospital-acquired pneumonias. We hope that this study will raise awareness of the need for more comprehensive Legionella testing in patients who are hospitalized with pneumonia."
And there's more where that came from too, but let's leave it for now.
