'Gardening nearly killed me': Father-of-two, 46, put in week-long induced coma after catching a rare deadly disease from an $8 bag of potting mix he bought at Bunnings

  • A father contracted Legionnaire's disease from bacteria in a bag of potting mix
  • After developing a fever, he went to the hospital assuming that he just had a flu
  • Mr Mitchell was placed in a medically-induced coma for a week after diagnosis 
  • He has suggested that a clear warning to be printed on the front of the package

A devoted Sydney father has been struck down by Legionnaires' disease after buying a bag of potting mix so he could help his daughter in the garden.

Jeremy Mitchell, 46, who visited Bunnings to pick up basic gardening supplies after 10-year-old Erica said that she wanted to plant flowers, began feeling unwell a few days later.

After developing a fever, Mr Mitchell assumed he had the flu - and didn't seek treatment until his wife convinced him to go to emergency room at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital.

Jeremy Mitchell was infected with Legionnaires' disease by bacteria from gardening supplies

Jeremy Mitchell was infected with Legionnaires' disease by bacteria from gardening supplies

The father-of-two had to be placed in a medical coma after exposure to the potting mix (right)

'The next thing I knew I was in intensive care, with 10 percent lung capacity and they said "look we're going to need to put you in a deep sleep, we're going to have to put a tube down your throat and make you breathe",' he told 9NEWS on Tuesday.

Doctors quickly diagnosed Mr Mitchell with Legionnaires' disease - a rare and potentially deadly form of pneumonia - and placed him in a medically-induced coma.

'I was supposed to be only under for two days and when I woke up, I realised it had been seven days,' Mr Mitchell said. 

Microbiologists working on Mr Mitchell's case traced the cause of his Legionnaires' disease to bacteria found in an $8 bag of potting mix.

Contracting Legionnaires' is a risk with all brands of potting mix and is not specific to the type Mr Mitchell purchased.

But Mr Mitchell says that he wasn't warned of the risk and nobody told him to wear protective clothing when handling the mix - although it is written in small print on the back of the bag.

Legionnaires' disease isn't uncommon in Australia, with may people contracting it from potting mix, soil or compost.

'People should realise that they form a real like aerosol or even mist and if it's a bit wet, it's easy for them to inhale it and if they inhale it, it gets into their lungs,' said Dr Bernie Hudson.

The microbiologist and infectious diseases physician at Royal North Shore Hospital said that he would not handle potting mix without wearing a mask and gloves - and that many people don't realise the danger of exposure to potting mix.

Mr Mitchell bought the potting mix to help his daughter (pictured) plant flowers in the garden

Mr Mitchell bought the potting mix to help his daughter (pictured) plant flowers in the garden

He said the he would like all retailers to sell masks and gloves along with bags of potting mix

He said the he would like all retailers to sell masks and gloves along with bags of potting mix

Luckily, Mr Mitchell will make a full recovery and is currently recovering at home with his family, unlike hundreds of Australians who will be unable to fight the disease due to their age or infirmity.

'Luckily enough for me I'm going to make a full recovery, but there's a lot of people that don't have that luck and this disease gets the best of them,' he said.

Mr Mitchell is now calling on manufacturers and nurseries to place the warnings on the front of the packaging for products that pose a risk of Legionnaires' disease.

'I'm one of those people who don't normally look at the warnings, or hear about these sort of things, and now I know, it's going to change the way I partake in gardening,' he said, adding that he would also like retailers to sell masks and gloves with potting mix.

Mr Mitchell is now calling on manufacturers to place the warnings on the front of the package

Mr Mitchell is now calling on manufacturers to place the warnings on the front of the package

WHAT IS LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE?  

Legionnaires' disease is a serious lung infection caused by legionella bacteria.

Initial symptoms include a high fever, muscle pain and chills.

Once the bacteria infects a person's lungs, they may also develop a persistent cough, chest pains and breathing problems. 

Legionnaires' disease is usually caught by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water.

It is not contagious and cannot be spread directly from person to person.

Legionella bacteria is commonly found in water, including lakes and rivers, though is often in harmlessly low numbers.

However, the bacteria can multiply if they find their way into artificial water supplies, including air conditioning systems.

Legionnaires' disease is commonly treated with a course of antibiotics.

The condition can be particularly serious in people with pre-existing health problems.

Most people make a full recovery, but in some cases it can lead to further life-threatening complications.

The disease can cause your lungs and kidneys to stop working properly.

Another complication is septic shock, which is the result of a blood infection causing a sudden drop in blood pressure.

Between 10 and 15 percent of otherwise healthy people who contract Legionnaires' disease will die due to problems as a result of the condition. 

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