The Espirito Santo Health Department confirmed the infection on Monday (10th). histoplasma coating It is the cause of an outbreak recorded in a ward at the Santa Rita Oncology Hospital in Vitoria.
Last Wednesday (5th), nine people tested positive. As of Monday, the number of confirmed cases has increased to 32, including 23 employees, 3 patients, and 6 companions.
The fungus Histoplasma sp. causes a disease called histoplasmosis, whose symptoms include the same fever, body aches, and shortness of breath that patients report.
A total of 141 cases were investigated, including 113 employees, 11 patients, and 17 companions.
Last week, researchers also confirmed the presence of bacteria. Burkholderia cepacia with water from drinking fountains in the nursing break areas of units affected by the outbreak.
The bacterium was also detected in blood samples from two staff members in the wards where the most severe cases of the outbreak occurred, according to the epidemiological investigation report.
The samples collected from the patient were sent to Fiocruz (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation), which analyzed the case in collaboration with Lasen (Espírito Santo Central Public Health Institute).
“The Health Surveillance Agency will now conduct an investigation to find out how this fungus got into the hospital, so that through health surveillance protocols we can improve the security systems both at Santa Rita Hospital and at hospitals in general,” Health Secretary Tiago Hoffmann said.
Surveillance will continue for another 60 days, with new water sampling and additional analysis of suspected cases.
The findings were announced this morning at a press conference by Hoffman, Health Surveillance Undersecretary Orley do Amaral Cardoso, and Lasén/ES Director Rodrigo Rodríguez.
The main suspicion is that the fungus spread throughout the ward via the air conditioning system.
infection by histoplasma coating This occurs through inhalation of fungus-containing particles, primarily found in bird and bat excrement, but can also be present in soil and trees. The main risk group consists of rural workers who are exposed to these environmental conditions.
According to the Ministry of Health, histoplasma coating It cannot be transmitted from person to person or from animal to person. The hospital warned residents not to interrupt cancer treatment for fear of contamination and said the environment outside the hospital building, which was closed after the outbreak, was all safe.
In a video posted on social media, Santa Rita Hospital Infection Control Coordinator and infectious disease specialist Carolina Salium explained the outbreak: histoplasma coating It is more common in environments where the fungus is present in high concentrations, such as homes under renovation or caves that have been closed for long periods of time.
“There are no hospital-acquired infections. It’s really, really rare,” he says. He said the likelihood of developing the disease is related to the amount of spores inhaled and that the majority of people are asymptomatic.
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