Sphagnum Moss

[Phalcycle]

Hello all,

I was just wondering how people who use s. moss handle it?
I've heard that one should always wear gloves and facemask when dealing with this moss, and that breathing it is very bad and can lead to cancer

I've never really used gloves nor a facemask. Should I be worried?
Do you use these?

Thanks, Jay

[Shannara]

Umm...well, I avoid sphagnum at all costs. Granted my situation is rare, and not to freak anyone out, but I did contract sporotrichosis from sphagnum a few years back and it took 2 years of treatment to get rid of the mess. Now I have joint problems most likely due from the anti-fungal meds I had to take in high doses. I am lucky it was a workmans comp issue because the pills were outrageously expensive.

So in my opinion yes, wear gloves, and if the moss is very dry and you could inhale it I would wear a mask. Needless to say I am a bit phobic of sphagnum and stay away from plants potted in it when possible. If I purchase one that has it I try and get someone else to remove the sphagnum for me.

A coworker of mine also contracted the same spore from handling sphagnum years before I did so...even though the odds are about 1 in million of getting it, the chances are there. I say better safe and sorry.

Edit: I have never heard of it causing cancer. Also, the signs of sporotrichosis infection starts much like a bug bite or sting that won't heal. Then your lymph nodes start swelling up starting from the site of infection, in my case my hand, and working up my arm towards my underarms, luckily we stopped it before it got that far. Was painful at the swollen areas on my joints and couldn't bend my finger completely for around 1/2 year or so.

Shann~

[Ladyofthelakes]

Wow, That's just awful.

Kind of freaks me out. I might just throw mine out.

[orchids4me]

Hummm...... Thanks Shann good to know. I have gotten pricked in the hands by small twigs or stickers in it before but nothing has turned up from it. Not yet anyways but will take your advice. I use a lot of sphag with flask babies so this is good to know. I had no idea about anything about this stuFf.
Emmaye

[digitalgate]

eh... allergy is very individual. When in doubt alway wear glove and mask. But this is the first time i have of allergy to Sphag moss. Well take care.

[Bolero]

I just use it, I might be taking a risk but I break it up and put it in a bucket with perlite. I then moisten it with the hose and pot it with the plants I use it with. I seriously doubt it causes cancer but I have heard the particles can cause other problems. Perhaps I should take it more seriously (as I should when using systemic insecticides........).

I highly recommend Sphagnum Moss for certain genera such as Dracula's, Pleuro's and Masdevallias (yes I know they are all Pleuro's) and wouldn't use anything else.

[Ray]

Sporotrichosis is not an allergy, it is a fungal infection of the skin, and is not limited or even "mostly" caused by sphagnum. Handling of spore-ridden material while having an open wound of some sort is required for infection.

From the NIH website: "Sporotrichosis is caused by the fungus Sporothrix schenckii, which is found in vegetation. Infection commonly occurs when the skin is broken while handling plant materials such as rosebushes, briars, or mulch-rich dirt."

[Shannara]

Ray is correct. Roses have been known to transmit it as the thorns puncture the skin and deliver the spore directly to the blood stream.

After I contracted in the infection there was a lot of research on my part to find out more about sporotrichosis. The only found epidemic outbreaks I found in the U.S. involved sphagnum moss. There was an epidemic outbreak in 1978 in Mississippi, in 1988 84 cases in 15 states from a single nursery with a batch of seedlings in sphagnum, and another I found in 1994 in FL.

I think the moss provides an environment that the spore can thrive in if introduced. I would always reccomend wearing gloves when handling moss to be on the safe side. If you see any open wounds or punctures before or during handling the moss I would clean them thoroughly in hot soapy water.

Either the customers plant that I repotted already had it in their sphagnum or the new sphagnum I soaked for the repot had it. Either way I should have known better as my coworker already contracted it years before from handling sphagnum.

Shann~

[Daethen]

I did not know there could be any worries with sphag. I have never taken any kind of precautions but may have to start.

[Ladyofthelakes]

When I read this post last night it struck home because of the outbreaks here on the island. We have had some cases of Blastomycosis in dogs, been fatal to 3 so far, and 1 person died, but he was already a serious heart patient. Anyway, it does freak me out. This fungal spore is breathed in where dirt has been disrupted. Like where homes are built and dirt is pushed around and filled in. Off the subject a bit. But fungal spores are a bit scary around the island.

[Phalcycle]

Thanks for the replies!
I've learned a lot.
I guess I'll have to wear gloves as I have papper cut

[-k-]

Very interesting; I use it indiscriminately....

[katrina]

I just use it unless I have an open cut or wound of some type. If I have even a small scratch and whatever it is can't wait...then I will use surgical gloves. I've always done the same when working in the garden or w/houseplants.


Taken from Wikipedia:
Sporotrichosis (also known as "Rose gardener's disease"[1]) is a disease caused by the infection of the fungus Sporothrix schenckii.[2] This fungal disease usually affects the skin, although other rare forms can affect the lungs, joints, bones, and even the brain. Because roses can spread the disease, it is one of a few diseases referred to as rose-thorn or rose-gardeners' disease.[3]

Because S. schencki is naturally found in soil, hay, sphagnum moss, and plants, it usually affects farmers, gardeners, and agricultural workers.[2] It enters through small cuts and abrasions in the skin to cause the infection. In case of sporotrichosis affecting the lungs, the fungal spores enter through the respiratory pathways. Sporotrichosis can also be acquired from handling cats with the disease; it is an occupational hazard for veterinarians.

Sporotrichosis progresses slowly - the first symptoms may appear 1 to 12 weeks (average 3 weeks) after the initial exposure to the fungus. Serious complications can also develop in patients who have a compromised immune system.

Forms and symptoms of sporotrichosis

* Cutaneous or skin sporotrichosis

This is the most common form of this disease. Symptoms of this form include nodular lesions or bumps in the skin, at the point of entry and also along lymph nodes and vessels. The lesion starts off small and painless, and ranges in color from pink to purple. Left untreated, the lesion becomes larger and look similar to a boil and more lesions will appear, until a chronic ulcer develops.

Usually, cutaneous sporotrichosis lesions occur in the finger, hand, and arm.

* Pulmonary sporotrichosis

This rare form of the disease occur when S. schenckii spores are inhaled. Symptoms of pulmonary sporotrichosis include productive coughing, nodules and cavitations of the lungs, fibrosis, and swollen hilar lymph nodes. Patients with this form of sporotrichosis are susceptible to developing tuberculosis and pneumonia

* Disseminated sporotrichosis

When the infection spreads from the primary site to secondary sites in the body, the disease develops into a rare and critical form called disseminated sporotrichosis. The infection can spread to joints and bones (called osteoarticular sporotrichosis) as well as the central nervous system and the brain (called sporotrichosis meningitis).

The symptoms of disseminated sporotrichosis include weight loss, anorexia, and appearance of bony lesions.

Prevention

The majority of sporotrichosis cases occur when the fungus is introduced through a cut or puncture in the skin while handling vegetation containing the fungal spores. Prevention of this disease includes wearing long sleeves and gloves while working with soil, hay bales, rose bushes, pine seedlings, and sphagnum moss.


And just so everyone is on the same page...it's not sphagnum peat moss...just sphagnum moss. The peat product is not the same and does not harbor the fungus.

[Filb]

Great..now I have something else to be compulsively paranoid about ><

[koshki]

I had heard about sphag and open sores, but honestly, I use nitrile exam gloves when I work with sphag simply because I hate the feel of it! I keep a box just for working with orchids, but I also use it when spraying for bugs, painting, etc.

[Shannara]

Thanks Katrina for the info. The peat moss from the bottom of the bog is safe so worries there. I had to be checked for Pulmonary sporotrichosis but luckily they didn't find anything. As for my joints I have had some doctors say that the infection isn't what damaged my joints and some that say it could. My latest theory from my recent doctor visit is that the meds caused the damage to my joints in my hand and elbow. Who know? All I know is my elbow can crack so loud you can hear it across the room and I have degeneration in the joints of the affected hand.

The wiki info states that sporotrichosis is slow to progress but from my experience once it started tp affect my lymph nodes it progressed up my up my arm along the lymph nodes faster than I thought it would. The treatment for getting rid of it is REALLY slow. I was up to 400mg of Itraconazole day! Even at 200mg it kept progressing. No wonder my joints are wacked out on that arm. I had to have my blood checked every several weeks to make sure my liver and kidneys weren't being affected by the high dosage. Honestly, I don't know what was worse, the infection or the medication.

Once the medicine started to take effect I saw my lymph nodes swell in the opposite direction back down my arm. It got up at far as my bicep area. The worst ones I had were near my elbow and wrist. Until the initial wound healed on my finger I couldn't stop the meds. I have to say it was a somewhat surreal experience. My doctor had only seen one other patient with it in all of his years in practice.

I don't want my story to scare any of you. Chances are you haven't handled any sphagnum with the spore. Just be as cautious and you will be fine. Most of the folks I meet in the orchid industry give me crazy looks when I say I won't use or handle sphagnum. I have even had a vendor tell me that I can't get sporotrichosis from sphagnum even though it already happened. It's just so rare that most folks either don't know about it or think the chances are in their favor that they won't be exposed to the spore.

I don't often discuss my experience because most folks find it unpleasant and don't want to hear about something negative when comes to orchid growing. Initially it freaked me out so bad I let several of my orchids die because they were potted in sphagnum. Sphagnum still makes me uncomfortable but not enough to keep me away from a plant I really want. I just find someone to remove the medium and wear gloves when I pot it up. I am taking baby steps.

Shann~

[katrina]

Welcome Shann! I've known about this for...oh...maybe 20yrs. Like you said...it's not common...actually very rare that people get it.

IMHO, I don't think people have to stop using sphag but it's wise to take precautions when one has open wounds/cuts in their skin. With that said...in your case Shann...after going through what you experienced...I'd likely avoid it too.

If anyone has a compromised immune system...it's probably wise that they take extra precautions regardless of open cuts/wounds.

Rachel -- I would say there's no reason to be paranoid...just be aware and take the proper precautions when necessary. Keep in mind...it is VERY rare. I know people who never use gloves...open wounds or not...they just grab the stuff and go to work.

[hera]

Most hardware stores sell vinyl or latex gloves and I use these when I repot. Its best to take precautions when working any kind of medium or soil that plants are growing in.

[Kelly]

I've stopped using it because I always found it went brown and mushy when I did use it for orchids. However I use gloves for any type of medium not just sphag moss.

[idennis]

hmmm makes me not want to use sphagnum moss.....glad i don't

[GreenOrchid]

Sphagnum still makes me uncomfortable but not enough to keep me away from a plant I really want. I just find someone to remove the medium and wear gloves when I pot it up.

Very interesting about sphag.
Do you grow any bulbos, or Neofinetias, and if so what do you pot them in?

Ruth