As someone who grew up with asthma and environmental allergies, including mold, I appreciate the importance of protecting immuno-compromised people from these hazards.
Unfortunately, Seattle Children’s Hospital has once again had to close some of its operating rooms to investigate potential mold contamination, after one new confirmed case and one potential case of Aspergillus surgical site infection.
Although Aspergillus is a common mold that is present all around us, when it contaminates an operating room, the results can be deadly. Last May, Seattle Children’s closed all of its 14 operating rooms for six weeks after mold contamination killed one person and infected five others.
These kinds of incidents highlight how hospitals must constantly be vigilant in its protection of its patients, particularly the young and immuno-compromised patients like those treated at Seattle Children’s – and the serious potential consequences when they are not.
Contact us here or email Lisa Benedetti with questions about mold contamination cases.