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A Pseudo-outbreak of Aspergillosis at a Tertiary Care Hospital: Thinking Beyond the Infection Control Risk Assessment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2016

Michelle Doll ,
Michael Anne Preas ,
J. Kristie Johnson ,
Clifford Mitchell ,
Brenda Roup ,
Lucy Wilson ,
Christine Carothers ,
Grace Nkonge  and
Surbhi Leekha
Michelle Doll*
Affiliation:
Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia
Michael Anne Preas
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
J. Kristie Johnson
Affiliation:
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
Clifford Mitchell
Affiliation:
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, Maryland
Brenda Roup
Affiliation:
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, Maryland
Lucy Wilson
Affiliation:
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, Maryland
Christine Carothers
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Grace Nkonge
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Surbhi Leekha
Affiliation:
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
*
Address correspondence to Michelle Doll, MD, MPH, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, 1300 East Marshall Street, North Hospital, 2nd Floor Rm 2-100, P.O. Box 980019, Richmond, VA 23298-0019 (Michelle.Doll@vcuhealth.org).
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Abstract

In the modern era of carefully monitored renovations, construction-related Aspergillus outbreaks have decreased. We investigated an increase in clinical cultures growing Aspergillus species, determining that contamination of the mycology lab caused a pseudo-outbreak. A major construction site was appropriately sealed, but unrecognized staff traffic may have facilitated laboratory contamination.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1–4

Type
Concise Communications
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 38 , Issue 1 , January 2017 , pp. 115 - 118
Copyright
© 2016 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved 

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References

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