Patients are at risk of contracting a potentially deadly fungal infection once major hospital redevelopment work starts.

There are concerns patients could be exposed to a fungus called aspergillus when demolition and construction begins.

The fungal mould, which can grow in older buildings, does not affect healthy people but can have an impact on patients with breathing and lung problems or who have a low immune system.

Symptoms caused by the aspergillus fungus can range from slight wheeziness to fever, coughing, chest pain or breathlessness to coughing up blood. The redevelopment includes the demolition of the Barry and Jubilee buildings at the hospital, which are almost 200 years old.

Preparation work ahead of the main redevelopment was temporarily suspended near the Jubilee building while patients believed to be at risk were moved to other parts of the hospital, but it has now restarted.

A report to Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust’s board said there was a need to ensure clinical safety issues are discussed between the infection prevention and estates teams and the hospital redevelopment team in relation to any development work.

A trust spokesman said: “The release of aspergillus spores as part of construction works is well understood.

“Measures are taken during construction to minimise the release of the spores and to safeguard the relatively small number of patients who may be at risk.”