Adam Retmock thought his suffering was over when he received a life-saving heart transplant. Six weeks later he died. Now there are fears that others may succumb to the same disease that took his life

The second of a group of patients who contracted a deadly fungal infection at a Brisbane hospital has died just six weeks after a life-saving heart transplant.

Adam Retmock (45) was one of five patients at Prince Charles Hospital involved in the infection group and the second to succumb to the disease.

He leaves behind his devastated wife Kelly Richards, who told 7News her husband could not take the constant pain caused by post-surgery complications.

Mr Retmock is survived by his devastated wife Kelly Richards

“After the transplant there were a number of complications… Adam developed a fungal infection,” Ms Richards said.

Despite weeks of treatments and procedures to treat the infection, Mr Retmock died in hospital on Friday 10 November.

“He said, ‘I’m done, I can’t go on suffering this much,'” said Ms. Richards said.

“For all I know, he would still be here if he hadn’t contracted this infection.”

“The last week of his life could have been so much better.”

A hospital spokesman said reviews of the other four cases of fungal infections contracted at the Brisbane hospital were in the “initial stages”.

“Despite extensive testing, no link has been established between the fungal infections found in the five heart transplant patients and the hospital,” they said.

“It is clear that the patient had several complications after the transplant.

“Transplant patients are some of our most vulnerable patients and can be susceptible to various diseases and infections in the community, especially when they return home.”

Mr Retmock died in hospital on Friday 10 November

While the other four patients, all transplant recipients, were sent home, Mr. Retmock never leaves the hospital.

All affected patients received prophylactic antifungal treatment.

An early analysis identified four different strains of fungal infections in the five patients, only one of which was the strain found at Prince Charles Hospital.

7News also reported that a high level of mold was found in the area where equipment for harvesting transplant organs was stored, although this was not confirmed by the hospital.

Mr Retmock’s family said he only learned he could die from the infection when he saw the news in hospital and that his doctors had not told him.

“He must have known about the hospital because he was a very brave person,” Ms Retmock said.

“I would hope that there might be better communication with the other families who are still involved and that all the information will be explained more clearly to them.”

“I will miss him forever.”

Another heart transplant patient is understood to have died of various complications in September.