The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has closed its cardiothoracic intensive care unit after at least one patient was confirmed to have developed a fungal infection as a result of mold being found in the unit.
The closure resulted in the move of 18 patients.
According to the hospital, an internal investigation found that at least two other previous transplant patients who stayed in the same room developed fungal infections that may have been related to that mold. One had the procedure in October 2014 and the other was in June of this year. Both of those patients have since died, but the hospital said it cannot be sure that the mold may have played a role in their deaths.
[Also: 'Superbug' infections sicken four patients at Cedars-Sinai]
"Given the very complicated nature of these patients' illnesses and the sporadic and very limited scope of these infections, we marvel at the care and detective work that found this pattern at all," officials said in a notice posted in its website. "Of course, we wish that no patients had been harmed. But we do know that our excellent physicians and staff have done everything possible to get to the bottom of this rare event as quickly as possible."
The hospital is looking into all patients who may have spent time in that room in the unit and only found those three.
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The hospital said the mold that caused the infections is no different than the mold often found on fruit and vegetables that have gone bad. Normally harmless, the mold can cause problems for people whose immune system are suppressed after a transplant.
The hospital said it discovered the mold on Sept. 3.
No date was given on when it will reopen.
Twitter: @HenryPowderly