Published • loading... • Updated
Study suggests the threat of mold-associated illnesses may be underappreciated
Researchers found invasive mold infections in about 450 Atlanta-area hospital patients over five years, and about one-third died in the hospital.
- A first-of-its-kind study published this week by the CDC suggests invasive mold infections are an underappreciated threat, with researchers identifying about 450 cases in Atlanta-area hospitals over five years.
- While most people inhale mold spores without issue, they can be life-threatening to individuals with weakened immune systems, including cancer patients and those recovering from COVID-19.
- Hospitals can expect to see 3 to 5 cases per year for every 100 inpatient beds, while CDC researchers previously estimated more than 15,000 hospitalizations annually tied to invasive mold disease in the United States.
- CDC senior author Dr. Jeremy Gold said the data helps hospital administrators determine if case numbers represent an expected baseline or a potential outbreak, calling it "the first time we've had an estimate like this."
- Duke University researcher Jeffrey Jenks said climate change may increase infection frequency. While Jenks called the findings "valuable," he noted studying different parts of the United States is necessary to understand regional generalizability.
Insights by Ground AI
44 Articles
44 Articles
Coverage Details
Total News Sources44
Leaning Left10Leaning Right3Center27Last UpdatedBias Distribution68% Center
Bias Distribution
- 68% of the sources are Center
68% Center
L 25%
C 68%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
