Air filtration systems and restrictive access conditions improve indoor air quality in clinical units: Penicillium as a general indicator of hospital indoor fungal levels

Araújo, Ricardo; Cabral, João Paulo; Rodrigues, Acácio Gonçalves

doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2007.02.001

Cited by 48 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…These two fungal species have an ability to produce mycotoxins [76] and are more closely associated with respiratory allergic symptoms [25]. Furthermore, Penicillium may be a source of MOVCs and implicated in asthma symptoms in children [26]. Their presence in autumn with elevated concentrations is indicative of indoor pollution by airborne fungi in the children's homes in Wuhan's generic urban area.…”

Section: Indoor Pollution By Airborne Settled and Adherent Fungimentioning

confidence: 98%

Primary pollutants in schoolchildren's homes in Wuhan, China

Cai

Yokota

Yanagi

et al. 2015

Building and Environment

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Section: Indoor Pollution By Airborne Settled and Adherent Fungimentioning

confidence: 98%

Primary pollutants in schoolchildren's homes in Wuhan, China

Cai

Yokota

Yanagi

et al. 2015

Building and Environment

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“…Penicillium sp., as other fungi, when growing produce volatile organic compounds as their metabolites and have been implicated in asthma symptoms in children (Araujo et al, 2008). Cladosporium and Alternaria might induce or exacerbate hypersensitivity reactions, including asthma (Ege et al, 2011).…”

Section: Recovered Fungi Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Subculture was made on MEA plates and incubated, at 25 ± 3 C, for periods ranging from 3 days to 3 weeks. Identification of fungal colonies was based upon phenotypic characteristics and followed standard mycological procedures based on their micro and macro-morphological characteristics (Atlas and Bartha, 1981).…”

Section: Microbial Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment and determinants of airborne bacterial and fungal concentrations in different indoor environments: Homes, child day-care centres, primary schools and elderly care centres

Madureira¹,

Paciência²,

Rufo³

et al. 2015

Atmospheric Environment

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h i g h l i g h t sThe highest bacterial and fungal concentrations obtained in school and kindergartens. Occupancy and poor ventilation were associated with bacterial concentrations. Penicillium and Cladosporium were the most occurring fungi indoors. Children exhibited dose rates twice higher than adults. a b s t r a c tUntil now the influence of risk factors resulting from exposure to biological agents in indoor air has been far less studied than outdoor pollution; therefore the uncertainty of health risks, and how to effectively prevent these, remains.This study aimed (i) to quantify airborne cultivable bacterial and fungal concentrations in four different types of indoor environment as well as to identify the recovered fungi; (ii) to assess the impact of outdoor bacterial and fungal concentrations on indoor air; (iii) to investigate the influence of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), temperature and relative humidity on bacterial and fungal concentrations; and (iv) to estimate bacterial and fungal dose rate for children (3e5 years old and 8e10 years old) in comparison with the elderly.Air samples were collected in 68 homes, 9 child day-care centres, 20 primary schools and 22 elderly care centres, in a total of 264 rooms with a microbiological air sampler and using tryptic soy agar and malt extract agar culture media for bacteria and fungi growth, respectively. For each building, one outdoor representative location were identified and simultaneously studied.The results showed that child day-care centres were the indoor microenvironment with the highest median bacterial and fungal concentrations (3870 CFU/m 3 and 415 CFU/m 3 , respectively), whereas the lowest median concentrations were observed in elderly care centres (222 CFU/m 3 and 180 CFU/m 3 , respectively). Indoor bacterial concentrations were significantly higher than outdoor concentrations (p < 0.05); whereas the indoor/outdoor ratios for the obtained fungal concentrations were approximately around the unit. Indoor CO 2 levels were associated with the bacterial concentration, probably due to occupancy and insufficient ventilation. Penicillium and Cladosporium were the most frequently occurring fungi. Children's had two times higher dose rate to biological pollutants when compared to adult individuals. Thus, due to children's susceptibility, special attention should be given to educational settings in order to guarantee their healthy future development.

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“…To reduce the spore count, several options such as the presence of anterooms or protective clothes have been tested in vain ( Araujo et al, 2008 ). The aim of our study was to investigate the infl uence of an optimisation of room comfort on the incidence of IPA in patients with newly diagnosed AML.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlation between the incidence of nosocomial aspergillosis and room reconstruction of a haematological ward

Hütter

Ganepola

Thiel

et al. 2009

Journal of Infection Prevention

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Peer reviewed paper nvasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with impaired function of the immune system such as in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We investigated the infl uence of the patients' room occupancy and the sanitary facilities with regard to the incidence of IPA after reconstruction of a haematological ward. This is a retrospective cohort-control study in patients with newly diagnosed AML. Thirty fi ve patients were treated before and 28 patients in the time after the reconstruction works. The median time of neutropenia was 18.5 days vs. 19.5 days. Twelve patients before and 11 patients after the reconstruction developed IPA ( p = 0.794). The incidence of IPA did not decrease after a reduction in the patients´ occupancy and improvement of the sanitary equipment. This study emphasises the presumed importance of optimal physical barriers, e.g. air fi ltration and/or antimycotic prophylaxis in high-risk patients. Abstract I

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Air filtration systems and restrictive access conditions improve indoor air quality in clinical units: Penicillium as a general indicator of hospital indoor fungal levels

Cited by 48 publications

References 15 publications

Primary pollutants in schoolchildren's homes in Wuhan, China

Primary pollutants in schoolchildren's homes in Wuhan, China

Assessment and determinants of airborne bacterial and fungal concentrations in different indoor environments: Homes, child day-care centres, primary schools and elderly care centres

Correlation between the incidence of nosocomial aspergillosis and room reconstruction of a haematological ward

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