KITCHENS AS A SOURCE OF ASPERGILLUS-NIGER INFECTION

In this study we investigated the epidemiology of a cluster of cutaneo us infections owing to Aspergillus niger, which occurred in neutropeni c patients in a bone marrow transplant unit. Heavy environmental conta mination with the mould was found in the ward kitchen adjacent to the unit. The clinical and environmental isolates were typed by random amp lification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), which showed one of the patients was infected with the same strain as that isolated repeatedly from th e kitchen area. In another case, contaminated stockinette material was implicated as the source of infection. Thorough cleaning of the ward kitchen resulted in no further cases on the unit. This highlights the fact that aspergilli may spread to patients by air, food or other vehi cles, and underlines the importance of searching for a source and ensu ring high levels of hospital hygiene are maintained.