A study on microbiological contamination on air quality in hospitals in Egypt

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate airborne environmental bacteria (environmental origin), mesophilic bacteria (human related bacteria) and fungi at governmental (GH) and private (PH) hospitals, in addition to assess sink drain biofilms and dust accumulated on air conditioning filters and floor surfaces to determine if they constitute potential sources of airborne microbial biodiversity. Samples were collected from intensive care unit (ICU), operating theatre (OT), admission department (AD) and outdoor for comparison. Airborne bacteria and fungi were collected using an Andersen two-stage impactor sampler which divides particles into fine (≤8 µm) and coarse (≥8 µm) size ranges. Airborne environmental bacteria, mesophilic bacteria and fungi concentrations, were respectively in the range of 0.0–2638; 0.0–1654.9 and 11.7–566.5 CFU/m3 indoors and 155–32436; 11.7–5554 and 35–664 CFU/m3 outdoors. Bacillus atrophaeus was commonly isolated in all locations. However, Alloiococcus otitis was only found at the GH and Bacillus licheniformis at the PH. Aspergillus and Penicillium were the common fungal types in the air state and dust. Dust was accumulated on air conditioning filters and floor surfaces and these would constitute important sources of airborne bacteria and fungi inside these hospitals.

Chemical and Biological Components of Urban Aerosols in Africa: Current Status and Knowledge Gaps

“…These organisms have been associated with symptoms of respiratory tract allergies, asthma, and infections in patients (Table 3). Bacillus and Staphylococcus have been observed to dominate the bacterial aerosol community in the indoor air samples in Africa [136,137] and some species of bacteria Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Corynebacterium aquaticum , known as human pathogens, have been found as airborne in Bamako, Mali [120].…”

Phenotypic Detection and Quality Assessment of Indoor Air-Borne Microorganisms Using Passive Air Sampling Technique (Settle Plate) at A Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Puducherry

“…Nearly 4-11% of total microorganisms were isolated in urban air 13 . Two organisms were identified with human related bacteria viz., Allocococcus otitis in government hospital and Bacillus licheniformis in private health care centers by using Impact samples 22 . Using conventional method like settle plate technique, 57% for S. aureus and 7% for Aspergillus niger were detected 23 .…”

Assessment of bioaerosols in tuberculosis high-risk areas of health care facilities in central Thailand

“…We found that I/O ratios were consistent with those found by other studies. The I/O ratios for airborne bacteria and fungi exceeded 1 (I/O>1) in the admission departments of government hospitals in Egypt [8]. A study of airborne bacteria and fungi conducted in Korea found that I/O > 1 in public buildings, whereas in a number of hospitals the ratios were <1.0 [21].…”

“…The findings from the present study are consistent with a study conducted in Singapore, which found that the airborne bacterial levels were high in a hospital lobby (445-890 cfu/m 3 ) and pharmacy (201-827 cfu/m 3 ) [7], and a study conducted in a hospital in Taiwan found that the level of airborne fungi was 699.3 cfu/m 3 in the morning and was 626.2 cfu/m 3 in the afternoon [6]. A study conducted in Egypt found that bacterial levels were 728.3 ± 673.2 cfu/m 3 in an operating theater and 1,622.2 ± 663.1 cfu/m 3 in the admission department of a governmental hospital and 512 ± 425.3 cfu/m 3 in the intensive care unit and 1,126.5 ± 763.1 cfu/m 3 in the admission department of a private hospital [8].…”

“…Exposure to indoor airborne bacteria and fungi may impact the health of people in affected areas [3]. Studies from Thailand [4,5], Taiwan [6], Singapore [7], and Egypt [8] have shown that indoor airborne bacterial and fungal concentrations in hospitals exceeded the recommended levels of airborne microorganisms in the buildings (bacteria and fungi ≤500 colony-forming units (cfu)/m 3 ) [9]. A study of air quality at a hospital found that wards accommodating patients at risk for tuberculosis (TB) had high bacterial and fungal counts [5].…”