Construction & Renovation

Healthcare construction is one of the most underappreciated infection transmission risks in clinical environments. When walls are opened, ceilings disturbed, and air handling systems disrupted, fungal spores, dust particles, and environmental pathogens that have been dormant for years become immediately airborne. Immunocompromised patients in adjacent spaces can develop invasive aspergillosis or other opportunistic infections within […]

Construction-related infections occur when dust, air, or water systems expose patients to pathogens. In 2019, a hospital in Ontario experienced invasive aspergillosis during an HVAC upgrade. Three immunocompromised patients developed life-threatening infections. Construction dust breached containment barriers and carried fungal spores into patient areas. You cannot separate hospital construction from infection prevention and control (IPAC).