Woman still in coma

A Christchurch woman on life support after contracting Legionnaires’ disease could take years to recover – if the antibiotics work.

Jillian Wadsworth, 40, who fell ill nearly two weeks ago, remains in a critical condition in an induced coma.

She returned to Christchurch Hospital from Auckland Hospital on Monday and was in the intensive care unit, Wadsworth’s sisterin-law Grace Fleming said.

The Rangiora woman had ‘‘extensive damage’’ to her lungs, kidneys and nerves and would remain on life support for at least another three weeks, doctors told the family.

If intravenous antibiotics succeed in treating the disease she would need to stay in hospital for another two months and faced a three-year recovery, Fleming said.

Wadsworth, 40, was rushed to Christchurch Hospital on November 9 after going to her GP for the third time with flu-like symptoms.

Canterbury is in the midst of a spike in Legionnaires disease with 18 cases notified since November 4.

The family believed the avid gardener used potting mix about a week before coming down with the illness.

Her mother quit her job to look after Wadsworth’s son, Cade, 11.

Fleming said the news hit the family hard, but they hoped she would pull through.

‘‘It’s still just a constant stress.’’ The family wanted to raise awareness about the risk of Legionnaires’ from using potting mix. They were concerned to see open bags of potting mix on display and other bags left in the sun in garden centres, Fleming said.

Fleming said: ‘‘You don’t know how much of a risk it is until you are affected.’’