[greenhead]

Just seen this piece on BBC breakfast about a new strain of MRSA derived from commercially  obtained gardening compost.

[JayG]

Is it THIS report?  (a type of legionnaires' disease rather than MRSA.)

[mumofstig]

Surely people already do wash their hands after gardening and it's soooo rare I think you stand more chance of being run over crossing the street 

It's just something else for me NOT to worry about 

[greenhead]

JayG,  Yes I think it was,  The piece is not available on I-player yet.

[penance]

Surely people already do wash their hands after gardening and it's soooo rare I think you stand more chance of being run over crossing the street 

It's just something else for me NOT to worry about 

Yep, its like the MRSA panic, media hype and poor education on the subject lead to abject panic.

[arugula]

JayG,  Yes I think it was,  The piece is not available on I-player yet.

Yes it is that one and it may well not appear on i-player. I forgot to post this earlier on.

It has only been found in the UK in Scotland so far and they're not quite sure why that is.. They were surmising that perhaps the medical profession up here is more on the ball or something. I don't know enough about that to comment...

[Kirpi]

I always wipe my hands down my T-shirt when I've finished using compost - especially if I'm eating a sanwich on the plot. Can't be too careful!

[sunshineband]

Sides of my trousers for me,... after I've washed my hands in the bore hole water 

[solway cropper]

I always wipe my hands down my T-shirt when I've finished using compost - especially if I'm eating a sanwich on the plot. Can't be too careful!

Now that's a sensible response. As well as being a gardener I've worked in forestry and farming over the years and have eaten my bait in the woods or fields after having my hands in all sorts of unsavoury stuff. You get the thick off and try not to suck your fingers.

Get my pension next year so not too worried about a bit o' muck.

[the Kergan]

A mouthful of compost never hurt anybody. 

[sarajane]

A mouthful of compost never hurt anybody. 

I dread to think how many mouthfuls of compost I've had over the years 

[born_2b_mad]

I always find a wipe of the hands under each armpit does quite a good job, especially if it is a warm day!

[savbo]

the interesting thing here is that you have to inhale the legionella, don't you? So washing your hands is going to have very little effect on the amount going into your lungs compared to the amount in the air as you've dug compost out of the bag, emptied it into pots or especially riddled it.

on a slightly different note, but following some of the comments above, has anyone else noticed that dirt that doesn't come off with washing lifts miraculously when handling a sandwich? perhaps someone should market a bread-based hand cleaner

sav

[Kirpi]

on a similar observation, when I go home after a morning at the allotment, the best way to clean my hands is to make home made bread! All the kneeding really finds all the soil from under your fingernails a treat!

[Plot74]

This is the way of the world nowadays.
With all the drugs people are subscribed for this and that your own body does not have a chance to build up anti bodies . I try to avoid taking anything being lucky I don't ALE much .
Fresh air is the best remedy and a couple of beers a week keep me going.
Never met this Mrs A and don't wish to.
John