UPMC temporarily halts transplants due to mold problem
PITTSBURGH – A Western Pennsylvania medical system said it is shutting down a Pittsburgh hospital’s transplant program because of a mold problem that may have contributed to the deaths of three transplant patients.
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said Monday that after consulting with the nonprofit that manages the nation’s transplant system, it was “voluntarily and temporarily” suspending all organ transplant operations at UMPC-Presbyterian.
UPMC said a fourth patient discovered to have a fungal situation is in guarded condition.
Officials said they are working with state and federal health officials and fungal specialists, and a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be in Pittsburgh today.
Officials said only those with severely compromised immune systems are endangered by the mold, which is common in the environment.