8 Gardening Risks and How to Stay Safe

Tetanus

What it is: Always wear gloves and closed-toe shoes. Ensure you’re up-to-date on your tetanus vaccination.

Stay safe: Always wear gloves and closed-toe shoes. Ensure you’re up-to-date on your tetanus vaccination.

 Lyme Disease

What it is: A tick-borne disease transmitted by the bite of infected ticks found in wooded areas. 

Stay safe: Wear long sleeves and pants, use insect repellent, and check for ticks after gardening. 

Ringworm

What it is: A fungal infection that can spread through direct contact with infected soil or plants. 

Stay safe: Wear protective gloves, and avoid touching your face or scratching after gardening. 

Histoplasmosis 

What it is: A fungal infection that can be contracted by inhaling spores from bird or bat droppings in the soil. 

Stay safe: Wear a mask when working in areas with bird or bat droppings. Avoid disturbing nests. 

Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac 

What it is: Skin rashes caused by contact with these plants, which contain an oily resin called urushiol. 

Stay safe: Learn to identify these plants and wear long sleeves, gloves, and boots when handling them. 

Salmonella

What it is: A bacterial infection often contracted by handling contaminated soil or manure. 

Stay safe: Wash hands thoroughly after handling soil, compost, or manure, and avoid touching your face. 

Leptospirosis 

What it is: A bacterial infection spread by water contaminated with the urine of infected animals, such as rodents. 

Stay safe: Avoid working in flooded areas, wear waterproof gloves and boots, and wash hands after gardening. 

Giardia 

What it is: A parasitic infection caused by drinking or coming into contact with contaminated water or soil. 

Stay safe: Avoid drinking from unclean water sources, and wash hands after gardening or handling contaminated soil.