Desert Gardens

» Rosemary Drisdelle - Soil and plant fungi infect people too...

(In my other life I'm a medical technologist)It's important to remember that the garden can be a source of fungal infections in people too. Fungal nail infections are often seen in gardeners (wear gloves and watch out for nail injuries contaminated with soil). Fusarium sp,. the agent of fusarium wilt in basil and other plants, was recently the cause of serious eye infections in contact lens wearers in the US and elsewhere. Then there's Coccidioides, a particularly nasty fungus found in dry desert areas. And don't fertilize your houseplants with hair and nail clippings - this can foster the growth of fungi that live on ... yes, hair and nails.

Rosemary Drisdelle
Birds.Suite101.com

» Robert Dailey - Soil and plant fungi infect people too...

Rosemary,
Thanks for the heads up about fungal infections in humans. I didn't know about it, but it makes sense.