It’s sitting in millions of backyards - and it almost killed this grandfather
A 76-year-old man was hospitalized for three months after inhaling rare bacteria from a bag of potting mix. Health experts are now urging gardeners to wear masks when handling soil to prevent similar severe respiratory infections.
Why it matters
It highlights a significant, often overlooked health risk associated with common gardening products, prompting calls for better safety labeling.
Share article Tending to his garden one afternoon, retiree Stewart never expected a bag of potting mix would leave him fighting for his life in a 10-day coma.
The 76-year-old collapsed shortly after using Scotts Osmocote Premium Potting Mix, with doctors at Ballarat Base Hospital struggling for weeks to diagnose his condition.
Tending to his garden one afternoon, retiree Stewart never expected a bag of potting mix would leave him fighting for his life in a 10-day coma. Supplied
Tests eventually revealed Stewart had inhaled airborne spores containing Nocardia Nova, a rare bacterial infection, alongside two fungal infections and pneumonia.
He spent three months in hospital and was left needing to relearn how to walk and talk.
Infectious disease experts warn that while rare, bacteria found in standard store-bought soil can trigger severe lung infections, particularly in the elderly or immunocompromised.
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