TY - JOUR
T1 - Does using potting mix make you sick? Results from a Legionella longbeachae case-control study in South Australia
AU - O'Connor, B. A.
AU - Carman, J.
AU - Eckert, K.
AU - Tucker, G.
AU - Givney, Rod
AU - Cameron, S.
PY - 2007/1
Y1 - 2007/1
N2 - A case-control study was performed in South Australia to determine if L. longbeachae infection was associated with recent handling of commercial potting mix and to examine possible modes of transmission. Twenty-five laboratory-confirmed cases and 75 matched controls were enrolled between April 1997 and March 1999. Information on underlying illness, smoking, gardening exposures and behaviours was obtained by telephone interviews. Recent use of potting mix was associated with illness (OR 4.74, 95% CI 1.65-13.55, P = 0.004) in bivariate analysis only. Better predictors of illness in multivariate analysis included poor hand-washing practices after gardening, long-term smoking and being near dripping hanging flower pots. Awareness of a possible health risk with potting mix protected against illness. Results are consistent with inhalation and ingestion as possible modes of transmission. Exposure to aerosolized organisms and poor gardening hygiene may be important predisposing factors to L. longbeachae infection.
AB - A case-control study was performed in South Australia to determine if L. longbeachae infection was associated with recent handling of commercial potting mix and to examine possible modes of transmission. Twenty-five laboratory-confirmed cases and 75 matched controls were enrolled between April 1997 and March 1999. Information on underlying illness, smoking, gardening exposures and behaviours was obtained by telephone interviews. Recent use of potting mix was associated with illness (OR 4.74, 95% CI 1.65-13.55, P = 0.004) in bivariate analysis only. Better predictors of illness in multivariate analysis included poor hand-washing practices after gardening, long-term smoking and being near dripping hanging flower pots. Awareness of a possible health risk with potting mix protected against illness. Results are consistent with inhalation and ingestion as possible modes of transmission. Exposure to aerosolized organisms and poor gardening hygiene may be important predisposing factors to L. longbeachae infection.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33751368178&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S095026880600656X
DO - 10.1017/S095026880600656X
M3 - Article
SN - 0950-2688
VL - 135
SP - 34
EP - 39
JO - Epidemiology and Infection
JF - Epidemiology and Infection
IS - 1
ER -