Mold Found in Ductwork at Saint 's Hospital

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Mold Found in Ductwork at Saint 's Hospital

Posted on: Friday, 27 June 2008

RedOrbit - Dallas,TX*

By Marc Silvestrini, Waterbury Republican-American, Conn.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1453891/mold_found_in_ductwork_at

_saint_marys_hospital/

Jun. 26--WATERBURY, Conn. -- A small amount of mold was uncovered at

Saint 's Hospital this week during a construction project

related to the consolidation of inpatient pediatric services of the

city's two hospitals.

The mold was discovered in the sheet metal ductwork of the

ventilation system in the hospital's inpatient pediatric area, a 12-

bed unit on the fourth floor of the Sacred Heart building, hospital

spokesman ph T. Connolly said.

Tests confirmed the contamination Wednesday, Connolly said. The

contaminated ductwork -- a type found nowhere else in the hospital --

has been removed, he said. The area was scheduled to be remediated

as part of the overall construction project even before the mold was

found, he said.

The two patients occupying beds in the pediatric unit at the time of

the discovery were moved to another part of the hospital as a

precautionary exercise, though neither exhibited any sign of

distress, Connolly said. Neither patients nor staff members in the

pediatric unit have complained or suffered symptoms likely to be

connected to exposure to mold, he said.

The mold has been identified as aspergillus, a common type that is

found across the world, especially in colder months in the Northern

hemisphere. The genus includes more than 150 species, only a few of

which can cause illness in humans and animals. Most people are

naturally immune to aspergillus, the hospital said. " Aspergillus

spores are ubiquitous and harmless, " said Dr. Simms, the

hospital's chief of Infectious/Infection Control. " Because they are

found in virtually all indoor environments, most healthy people

breathe these spores every day. The mold is a problem for a very

small segment of the patient population whose immune system has been

severely compromised. "

Saint 's and Waterbury hospitals announced in May they would

consolidate their inpatient pediatric services into a single unit

that will be owned and operated by Connecticut Children's Medical

Center of Hartford.

The new 12-bed pediatric unit will be located at the site of the

existing inpatient pediatric unit at Saint 's. The three

participating hospitals are hoping to open the new unit in

September. Connolly wasn't sure Wednesday whether the discovery of

the mold would delay the construction of the new pediatric unit.