A large percentage of patients treated in hospitals, or staying in long-term care facilities, have conditions that make them much more susceptible to infections due to microbial pathogens, including mold.

Over the last several years, there have been multiple hospitals across the United States that have had to halt operations and temporarily close portions of their facilities after the discovery of indoor mold growth. The closures were put in place to prevent exposure risks to staff and patients, especially for those vulnerable to fungal infections due to a weakened or suppressed immune system.

Healthcare-associated mold outbreaks can often be prevented if the mold growth is found and properly remediated in a timely manner. To help avoid these types of incidents, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides precautions that healthcare facilities should take to prevent patients from getting sick from indoor mold. They include:

• Filtering the air
  
• Giving some patients with weakened immune systems antifungal medicine to prevent mold infections
  
• Placing some patients in rooms where the air flow reduces the chances of the patient getting an infection
  
• Fixing water leaks and repairing damages as fast as possible
  
• Reducing dust during construction
  
• Tracking the number of patients with mold infections to monitor for an increase, which could signal a problem with indoor mold
  

“Mold will grow almost anywhere indoors when there is sufficient moisture,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “Overexposure, especially when it comes to vulnerable populations, can lead to possible infections and other adverse health effects. This is why a rapid and thorough response to water damage, high humidity levels, and visible fungal growth is so important in healthcare environments.”

CTSI, with decades of experience working with hospital administrators, infection control professionals, and facility managers, provides building inspections, infection control support, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) testing, consulting, and training services to help prevent and mitigate these types of indoor exposure risks.

To learn more about this or other infection control, industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, environmental, health, and safety services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com , or call (212) 971-7016.

About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI's reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals' concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.

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