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Mold infection may have contributed to the death of UPMC patient

In September 2015 the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) had to suspend their transplant program for six days, as they dealt with a mold outbreak. This mold outbreak has lead to the deaths of many critical patients who had just received organ transplants. Hospital Bed - Mold Infection in Linens

An investigation by the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) never acquired the exact source. Although many alleged causes have been brought to the attention of the investigators. An attorney for one of the victims recently alleged that the linens used in the unit could have been the cause. While the CDC said a specially ventilated room in the hospital’s cardiothoracic intensive care unit might have been the source. The officials with the UPMC said they are now using specially treated linens and made this statement:

“We continue to be transparent with federal and state health regulators, and we shared all our findings with them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Pennsylvania Department of Health were unable to determine a definitive source for the fungal infections.”

In recent news, an internal UPMC report filed in a civil lawsuit says an investigation found mold at a Clearfield County laundry facility that washes all of its 22 hospitals’ linens, including for UPMC where the transplant patients were infected with mold and later died. This facility was not investigated by the CDC but after being informed of this report, a CDC spokesman said that “it’s safe to say we’ll take a look at the new report you mention and if necessary we’ll follow up with the state and [UPMC]”.

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