Anki, 66, Contracts Severe Legionella Infection from Gardening

Anki Sandborg, 66, was simply tending to her garden when she became gravely ill.

– It was truly surreal. I didn't know you could get sick from soil, and many at the hospital didn't know either, says Anki Sandborg.

In mid-May this year, Anki Sandborg was working in the soil at her summer home outside Karlskrona. The sun was shining, and Anki had bought soil bags from three different places, mixing them with fertilizer to refresh the flower beds after winter.

Less than a week later, she developed a severe headache, fever, and became extremely sensitive to light.

– At the emergency room, they did a scan and found pneumonia in one lung. I received intravenous antibiotics and thought I could go home after two days, says Anki, who previously shared her story with TV4.

Back home, her fever spiked to 40 degrees. Anki was dizzy and had difficulty speaking.

– I was almost unresponsive, she says.

Realizing What Happened

It turned out both lungs were inflamed. Back at the hospital, doctors asked if she had recently worked in the garden.

– That's exactly what I had been doing all weekend. I didn't know you could get legionella from soil, and many at the hospital didn't know either. They had never had a patient with legionella like me. It was truly surreal.

She was hospitalized for eight days. Anki now believes she knows which bag of soil infected her.

– One of them was very dry and dusty. It's probably the one I got it from, she says.

Legionella spreads by inhaling small droplets of legionella bacteria. It often occurs during showers or baths, but the bacteria can also spread via soil particles, known as legionella longbeachae.

Rise in Legionella Cases

After her hospital stay, Anki used a mask when gardening. Today, she avoids opening new soil bags and ensures the soil is moist.

– Now I have a different awareness, and it's good if others do too, she says.

Between 2015 and 2024, legionella cases in Sweden have increased by an average of five percent per year. So far this year, about 100 people have been infected, 19 of whom after handling soil.

Last year, 46 people were infected with the longbeachae strain – a significant increase from previous years.

Better diagnostics may be a reason, according to Caroline Schönning, an investigator at the Public Health Agency.

Primarily, people with weakened immune systems become seriously ill, but smokers and the elderly may also be at increased risk.

To avoid risk when handling soil, one can open soil bags outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Moistening the soil and washing hands afterward is also recommended.

– Gardening is important and beneficial for many, but if you belong to a risk group, you should be aware of the risks and be prepared to seek medical attention if you develop symptoms, says Caroline Schönning.