FUNGAL SCARE CLOSES QMC CHILDREN'S WARD

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FUNGAL SCARE CLOSES QMC CHILDREN'S WARD

This is Nottingham - Nottingham,England,UK*

CLARE BOYD HEALTH CORRESPONDENT

25 April 2008

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Beds on a children's ward have been closed due to a fungal infection

scare.

Health bosses are on alert after water damage was spotted in ward

E37 at the Queen's Medical Centre.

It is the same sort of problem which led to a fungal infection at an

adjoining ward 16 months ago.

In December 2006, a child became seriously ill after an outbreak of

a life-threatening fungal infection on E38, a ward for cancer

patients.

It was believed to have come from a damp patch inside a storeroom

cupboard. Patients at risk of infection were moved while the ward

was cleaned and decontaminated.

In this latest incident, damp was also discovered.

But hospital bosses were keen to stress no signs of fungal infection

had been found yet.

" We can confirm that three side rooms on ward E37 at QMC have been

closed as a precautionary measure after water damage to interior

walls was identified, " said a hospital spokesman.

" Following specialist advice, appropriate and urgent remedial action

is being undertaken. The situation will be monitored and any further

action will be taken as required.

" Side rooms are being used in other paediatric areas as needed. "

Despite the reassurances, patients, their families and staff on the

ward are confused about the situation.

One Evening Post reader said she had been told that traces of the

fungus called aspergillus had been found by experts at the QMC, and

that the affected area had been cleaned using high-strength hydrogen

peroxide cleaners.

Aspergillus can cause diseases ranging from allergy-type illness to

life-threatening infections.

" There seems to be a lot of panic at the moment, and the rooms and

showers have been sealed off, " said the woman.

" This is a respiratory ward so the children are particularly at risk.

" They are being careful not to admit new children who have problems

with their immune systems and might be even more vulnerable, for

example those from the oncology ward. "

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