Recent research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights a concerning health risk: invasive mold infections. This type of infection, while not commonly discussed, poses a serious threat to certain vulnerable populations. In a five-year study conducted in the Atlanta area, researchers identified approximately 450 cases. Alarmingly, around one-third of these patients died while in the hospital.
The government’s current lack of a mandate for doctors to report such infections led the CDC to embark on this study. Dr. Jeremy Gold, the study’s senior author, noted the significance of generating such data for the first time. He emphasized the importance of understanding these infections now, noting that their prevalence may rise in the future due to climate change.
Mold exposure is increasingly becoming a concern following natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, which are more frequent due to climate change. Another contributing factor is the growing elderly population, which is more susceptible to such infections, according to Dr. Gold.
Invasive mold diseases are caused by specific fungi. Infection usually occurs when mold spores are inhaled, but spores can also enter the body through breaks in the skin or contaminated medical equipment. Most individuals remain unaffected by these spores, but they pose a severe risk for the elderly, cancer patients, and others with weakened immune systems.
Prior CDC studies estimated over 15,000 hospitalizations annually due to invasive mold disease. The recent study collaborated with four Atlanta-area hospitals and their outpatient clinics to explore the frequency of such cases locally from 2020 to 2024. Initially, nearly 1,000 potential cases were identified, but this number was refined to about 450.
The study results indicate that hospitals should expect 3 to 5 cases annually for every 100 inpatient beds. Larger academic hospitals, which often deal with more complicated illnesses, recorded higher rates. The majority of patients in the study had compromised immune systems or were weakened from COVID-19. Although mold exposure can happen in healthcare facilities, this study did not pinpoint the initial exposure locations.
Dr. Gold acknowledged the difficulty in generalizing these findings nationally, given regional differences in mold exposure risks. Nonetheless, the study offers hospital administrators a point of reference to assess expected case numbers or recognize potential outbreaks. Dr. Jeffrey Jenks, an infectious disease expert, called the study’s findings vital, suggesting that similar studies across the United States would be beneficial.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. However, the AP retains full responsibility for its content.