ASPERGILLUS: This is a black mold....I actually got this in my ears!!....ventillated patients in SICU coughing on my stethoscope, which we all carry around our necks...the ear tips were apparently contaminated with aspergillus from a patient, and when I put them into my ears, I contaminated my ears! Had a horrific infection, with black mold growing inside my ears, all the way into my middle ear....ended up in the hospital with IV antibiotics/antifungals.....they got it stopped thankfully, because there was a fear it was going to turn into a meningitis and could have actually KILLED me!!!!!! Never carried my stethoscope around my neck again......and you still see just about every nurse and doctor doing that very thing! Great source of cross contamination!! All this concentration on hand washing between patients, and the biggest source of cross contamination is hanging around all their necks! |