Toilets in UPMC Presbyterian's cardiothoracic intensive care unit may be the source of fungal infections tied to two patient deaths, according to an article on the TribLive website.
The toilets in question are modular, meaning they are contained in a cabinet-like structure with a door. Splashing water could have soaked into the structure and led to mold.
The toilets are used in some ICUs because they give patients close access to a bathroom.
The mold incidents date back to October 2014, when doctors discovered a fungal infection on the left leg of a heart transplant patient. In June, doctors discovered a different form of mold on the buttocks of another heart transplant patient.
Presby closed the cardiothoracic ICU indefinitely and relocated its patients on Sept. 8, five days after doctors diagnosed the lung transplant patient with a mold infection.
How Curated Art Elevates Senior Care Spaces
The CDC's Guide to Hand Hygiene in Healthcare
Dana-Farber, BIDMC Launch Construction of Dedicated Adult Cancer Hospital
5 Components of an Integrated Safety Culture in Healthcare
NYC Opens Therapeutic Housing Unit for Medically Vulnerable Detainees