The idea of an occupational hazard is, for many, closely associated with professions like health care, coal mining or foundry work. It should be noted, however, that even horticulturalists and landscapers experience their share of work related dangers. Contact with decaying plant debris, spaghnum moss, cut hay, thorny plants or even soil can expose one to a fungus known as Sporothrix schenckii. If infected, a chronic skin disease called sporotrichosis may develop. This is known more commonly as “Rose Gardener’s Disease.”
Sporotrichosis is a noncontagious, long-term, fungal infection of the skin. In rare cases, the lungs, joints, bones, or brain may become infected. Those at risk for developing the disease are often farmers, landscapers and horticulturists. This is due to the microorganism existing closely with thorny plants, cut hay, sphagnum moss or even soil. When wounded by a rose thorn, for example, the punctured skin becomes a potential route that Sporothrix schenckii may use to invade the body. In a process that may take months to fully develop, open sores form on the skin. Without proper treatment, the sores can be very slow to heal. In addition, the disease can spread through the lymphatic system. Fortunately, with identification and treatment, a full recovery can often be expected (Sporotrichosis).
Sporotrichosis may have been first identified as an occupational illness by Harry R. Forester, in the review Sporotrichosis, an occupational Dermatosis (1926). Since that time, numerous occupationally related outbreaks have been documented. From December 1975 to February 1976, an outbreak of sprotrichosis occurred in Mississippi among forestry workers that handled sphagnum moss (Powell et al., 1978). During 1988, sporotrichosis was reported in 84 cases, across 15 states, among individuals who also worked with sphagnum moss (Coles et. al. 1992). More recently, 9 of 64 employees handling moss at a tree nursery in Florida were afflicted by Sporotrichosis during 1994 (Hajjeh et al., 1997).
Because of the frequency that sporotrichosis is associated with sphagnum moss, reducing or eliminating its use, if possible, represents the most ideal means to curtail the occurrence of this workplace disease. Since peat moss is ubiquitous to so many gardening and landscaping applications, numerous situations will exist where this is not possible. Professionals and hobbyists alike should wear protective gloves and boots. This provides a layer of protection while working with materials potentially carrying the fungus. In addition, excessive handling of sphagnum moss should be avoided. Because of the ability of the disease to spread throughout the body, and the long-term nature of infection, possible infections should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible.
References:
Coles, F. B., Scuchat, A., Hibbs, J. R., Kondracki, S. F., Salkin, I. F., Dixon, D. M., Chang, H. G., Duncan, R. A., Hurd, N. J., Morse, D. L., A Multistate Outbreak of Sporotrichosis associated with Sphagnum Moss, American Journal Epidemiology, 1992; 136 (4): 475-487.
Foerster, H., Sporotrichosis, an occupational dermatosis, Journal American Medical Assocation, 1926; 87(20):1605-1609.
doi:10.1001/jama.1926.02680200005003
Powell, K. E., Taylor, A., Phillips, B. J., Blakey, D. L., Campbell, G. D., Kaufman, L., Kaplan, W. Cutaneous Sporotrichosis in Forestry Workers: Epidemic Due to Contaminated Sphagnum Moss, Journal American Medical Assocation, 1978; 240(3):232-235.
doi:10.1001/jama.1978.03290030050018
Hajjeh, R., McDonnel, S., Reef, S., Licitra, C., Hankins, M., Toth, B., Padhye, A., Kaufman, L., Pasarell, L., Cooper, C., Hutwagner, L, Hopkins, R., McNeil, M., Outbreak of Sporotrichosis among Tree Nursery Workers, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1997; 176(2): 449-504
“Sporotrichosis.”eMedicineHealth.com. Accessed December 9, 2010. http://www.emedicinehealth.com/sporotrichosis/article_em.htm
