Transplant Patients affected by Mold Outbreak at a Pennsylvania Hospital

Last year, a hospital in Pennsylvania discovered some transplant patients were contracting a fungal infection after their operations. Four patients were diagnosed with infections that are suspected to be caused by a mold outbreak at the hospital. The hospital put their transplant program on hold last September. Shortly after the hospital went through a review of treatments and procedures, the transplant program started to operate again. As of this February, all four patients affected by the mold outbreak have died. 

A report conducted last December by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found a connection in the cases. The patients spent time in an ICU room with negative air pressure. A negative air pressure room is designed to keep air within the room from leaving and potentially infecting others in the hospital. New air is circulated into the room from outside. It is believed that the air from outside contained mold spores that caused the infection in the patients.

“Occurrence of opportunistic fungal infections are on the increase,” said Jason Dobranic, Ph.D., Vice President of Microbiology and Life Sciences at EMSL Analytical, Inc. “Patients with severely compromised immune systems, because they are undergoing medical treatment or due to underlying disease, are at the greatest risk of infection. Sources of the fungal contaminants can be from other infected persons, water damaged building materials, construction or remediation within the facility, the ventilation systems, waste containers, or the water systems.”

EMSL offers analytical services to identify all types of indoor contaminants including mold, bacteria, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and allergens.  They also provide the equipment and testing supplies needed to perform air sampling.  In addition, EMSL recently sponsored an online video about indoor mold growth that can be viewed at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr6_zVT-SP0.

To view a complete list of EMSL’s laboratory locations, accreditations and capabilities, please visit www.EMSL.com. For more information about EMSL’s testing services, please call (800) 220-3675 or email  info@EMSL.com . 

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.

EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of environmental, indoor air quality, consumer product and materials testing services and products for professionals and the general public.  The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies. 

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

(1) 856-303-2503

Contact via E-mail