Bags of compost have been identified as the likely source of two legionella cases in Angus, a report has found.
Just eight months on from a nationwide outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, Scottish health officials have finally determined that the majority of infections came from an overexposure to compost and incubating soil.
Health Protection Scotland has found that all seven patients had spent time in the garden or outdoors in the two weeks prior to their illness, and six had recently bought compost.
Some strains of legionella are found in soil and potting compost, but investigators found the products used by the patients were bought at different times from different premises.
In all, seven individuals in the Tayside and Lothian areas came down with the illness last autumn two of whom required treatment at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
The first case came to light on September 9, and was a 50-60-year-old woman, who was a keen gardener and was admitted to intensive care with pneumonia.
Little over a week later a second patient with pneumonia was admitted to intensive care at Ninewells. The man, aged 70-80, also required ventilation.
He was not a keen gardener, but had taken ill after helping his wife in the garden.