Ongoing Fungal Infections Trigger Suspension of Transplant Procedures at PA Hospital

A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, healthcare organization has decided to temporarily suspend all of its organ transplant procedures pending the results of an investigation into a series of fungal infections sustained by four transplant patients, states a September 22, 2015, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article. According to the article, two heart transplant patients, a lung transplant patient, and a liver transplant patient are known to have contracted fungal infections following procedures at two of the organization's hospitals; three of the patients later died. Although the patients' deaths cannot be directly attributed to the infections, the organization is working closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify the source of the mold and prevent a possible outbreak from spreading and harming other patients.