Hosp probed over lethal fungus

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Hosp probed over lethal fungus

3 kids' deaths still mystery

By NANCY DILLON

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/376323p-319673c.html

Pic. Blaise Fitzpatrick

A lethal fungus was found in the brain of a Brooklyn boy who

mysteriously and suddenly died at Columbia Presbyterian Medical

Center, the Daily News has learned.

The shocking discovery marked at least the third child's death that

heartbroken parents believe may have been caused by spores released

during construction at the prestigious hospital.

" Something's wrong, " said Fitzpatrick, who lost her beloved

9-year-old son Blaise last month.

" The pain gets worse every day, " said Fitzpatrick, who carries

Blaise's ashes in a locket and even bought a Christmas tree for his

room at the family's Bay Ridge home.

Blaise died Nov. 8 at Columbia Presbyterian's Babies and Children's

Hospital on 168th St. from what doctors described as a simple blood

clot in the brain.

But a biopsy, however, revealed " fungal hyphae " consistent with

aspergillus had " invaded " the boy's brain, patient records show.

A physician who met Blaise during one of the fourth-grader's six

weeks in the hospital delivered the devastating news, said the boy's

grandmother Gail Fitzpatrick, 65.

" He was upset. He didn't have to call, but he wanted us to know, "

she said. " To find out this might have been prevented, it's a

sadness that hurts your body. "

State health officials told The News they are investigating Blaise's

death.

At least two other families are questioning whether construction

work in the children's ward released deadly aspergillus spores into

vents and hallways and played a role in their children's deaths.

Blaise, a smiling, chubby-cheeked boy who loved basketball and tae

kwon do, was seemingly healthy until he fell ill in September and

developed the vascular disease Wegener's granulomatosis Oct. 3.

Doctors treated him aggressively with the chemotherapy drug Cytoxan,

and doctors later hinted he would be home for Thanksgiving. They

said the " worst-case scenario " would be a kidney transplant and life-

long dialysis, family members said.

But things went horribly wrong Oct. 23 when Blaise slipped into a

coma. " It's possible this child, whose Wegener's was under control,

died of a hemorrhage caused by aspergillosis, " said Dr. Mark

Kindschuh, director of emergency medicine at a Queens hospital and a

close friend of the Fitzpatricks'.

" Our question is, did Blaise die unnecessarily because of a high

incidence of aspergillus at this hospital? We need an explanation. "

Westchester County parents and believe their

5-year-old daughter Grace died at the hospital in November 2002 from

respiratory failure caused by aspergillosis.

The s are suing Columbia Presbyterian for $5 million.

Their attorney, , said he has been in touch with

another family that believes its 3-year-old daughter also contracted

aspergillus before her death at the hospital Dec. 24, 2001.

Hospital spokeswoman Myrna Manners said she couldn't comment on the

cases, but she added, " We are committed to providing quality care to

all of our patients, and we always sympathize with families who lose

a loved one. "

Fitzpatrick, 30, still finds it hard to even discuss her

son's death - but spoke out because she hopes that future tragedies

could be prevented.

" I still keep thinking I'm going to wake up from this nightmare, "

she said through tears. " This is the last thing I want other moms to

go through. "

Originally published on December 20, 2005