Deadly mold found in hospital's ducts

May 6, 2006

2m6fungus.html

UNION-TRIBUNE

San Diego Union Tribune - United States

May 6, 2006

State officials are investigating a potentially lethal fungus found

in the dirty ventilation system of Scripps Memorial Hospital-La

Jolla, whose officials acknowledged that two directors were asked to

resign because of the problem.

" These people are not on our staff anymore because they did not

follow maintenance schedules that we put in place five years ago, "

hospital epidemiologist Jeanne Shirley said.

Fybel, the hospital's chief executive, said that " no patients

have died, and no patients have become sick " because the problem was

detected promptly by the system's early-warning devices.

With oversight from the state health department, Scripps has hired a

crew to clean the ducts in the seven-story hospital.

If the fungus or mold, called aspergillus, had spread to hospital

corridors, it could have killed patients. The mold has not developed

spores that could become airborne, Shirley said.

The aspergillus was detected in March. The discovery led infection-

control specialists to realize the duct system had not been cleaned

according to the hospital's schedule, Fybel and other hospital

officials said.

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