Τίτλος:
Environmental surveillance of filamentous fungi in three tertiary care hospitals in Greece
Γλώσσες Τεκμηρίου:
Αγγλικά
Περίληψη:
The environmental fungal load (FL) of three hospitals was studied in representative regions in Greece (Thessalonika, Northern Greece, Athens, Central Greece and Heraklion, Southern Greece). Air, surfaces and tap water from high-risk departments were sampled monthly during one year. Air FL was [median (range)] 10.6 (1.2-37), 5.5 (3-28.8) and 7.7 (3.1-12.1) cfu/m3 at Thessalonika, Athens and Heraklion, respectively. Air FL was lower in winter and higher in summer and autumn but seldom above acceptable levels. Aspergillus spp. constituted 70.5% of the filamentous fungi isolated. Aspergillus niger was the most prevalent species in the air of all the hospitals followed by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus. The least contaminated departments were the intensive care units, whilst most contaminated were the solid organ transplantation in Athens and haematology departments in Thessalonika. No correlation between fungal species, season, hospital or departments was observed. Sixty per cent of all surfaces examined yielded filamentous fungi and/or blastomycetes. While no fungi were recovered from water in Thessalonika and Athens, one-third of the samples in Heraklion (apart from those of ICU) yielded multiple fungal species. The higher air FL in Thessalonika and Athens was recorded in departments located close to renovation works. These findings suggest that the air and surface FL fluctuates over the year, is due to varying fungal species, but does not differ greatly among hospitals. The variation among hospitals, as well as the role of hospital water fungal contamination and appropriate measures to eliminate it, need further study. © 2002 The Hospital Infection Society.
Συγγραφείς:
Panagopoulou, P.
Filioti, J.
Petrikkos, G.
Giakouppi, P.
Anatoliotaki, M.
Farmaki, E.
Kanta, A.
Apostolakou, H.
Avlami, A.
Samonis, G.
Roilides, E.
Περιοδικό:
JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION
Λέξεις-κλειδιά:
air sampling; article; Aspergillus; Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus fumigatus; Aspergillus niger; controlled study; correlation analysis; fungal contamination; fungus isolation; geographic distribution; Greece; high risk population; hospital department; hospital infection; intensive care unit; nonhuman; seasonal variation; surface property; surgical ward; water sampling; Aspergillus; cross infection; environmental monitoring; fungus; general hospital; Greece; health survey; hospital design; human; immune deficiency; infection control; isolation and purification; methodology; microbiology; mycosis; risk factor; season; university hospital, Air Microbiology; Aspergillus; Cross Infection; Environmental Monitoring; Fungi; Greece; Hospital Design and Construction; Hospitals, General; Hospitals, University; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Infection Control; Mycoses; Population Surveillance; Risk Factors; Seasons; Water Microbiology
DOI:
10.1053/jhin.2002.1298
