Indoor and outdoor airborne bacterial and fungal air quality in kindergartens: Seasonal distribution, genera, levels, and factors influencing their concentration

Chegini, Farhad Mirkhond; Baghani, Abbas Norouzian; Hassanvand, Mohammad Sadegh; Sorooshian, Armin; Golbaz, Somayeh; Bakhtiari, Ronak; Ashouri, Asieh; Naimi-Joubani, Mohammad; Alimohammadi, Mahmood

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.106690

Cited by 53 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…Although bioaerosol was a common term applied for microorganisms suspended in indoor or ambient air [ 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ], in medical terminology, bioaerosols are airborne particles with biological matter [ 32 , 81 ]. The mechanism of airborne transmission involves small droplet nuclei (fluid of pathogenic droplets) or particulates including the virus that can stay suspended in air for an extended period of time (≥2 h) and can move farther distances from carriers of SARS-CoV-2 [ 24 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modes of Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Factors Influencing on the Airborne Transmission: A Review

Delikhoon

Guzmán

Nabizadeh

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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The multiple modes of SARS-CoV-2 transmission including airborne, droplet, contact, and fecal–oral transmissions that cause coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) contribute to a public threat to the lives of people worldwide. Herein, different databases are reviewed to evaluate modes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and study the effects of negative pressure ventilation, air conditioning system, and related protection approaches of this virus. Droplet transmission was commonly reported to occur in particles with diameter >5 µm that can quickly settle gravitationally on surfaces (1–2 m). Instead, fine and ultrafine particles (airborne transmission) can stay suspended for an extended period of time (≥2 h) and be transported further, e.g., up to 8 m through simple diffusion and convection mechanisms. Droplet and airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 can be limited indoors with adequate ventilation of rooms, by routine disinfection of toilets, using negative pressure rooms, using face masks, and maintaining social distancing. Other preventive measures recommended include increasing the number of screening tests of suspected carriers of SARS-CoV-2, reducing the number of persons in a room to minimize sharing indoor air, and monitoring people’s temperature before accessing a building. The work reviews a body of literature supporting the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through air, causing COVID-19 disease, which requires coordinated worldwide strategies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modes of Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Factors Influencing on the Airborne Transmission: A Review

Delikhoon

Guzmán

Nabizadeh

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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“…Some studies suggested staphylococcus sp. as the indoor air pollution bacterial indicators [ 38 ]. Still, Gram-negative bacteria are notable for the release of endotoxins.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contamination of obsterics and gynecology hospital air by bacterial and fungal aerosols associated with nosocomial infections

Nasiri

Gholipour

Akbari

et al. 2021

J Environ Health Sci Engineer

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Bacterial and fungal bioaerosols are a global concern due to nosocomial infections, especially in developing countries. Our study aimed to detect fungal and bacterial bioaerosols in different wards of an obstetrics and gynecology hospital air samples. 240 bioaerosol samples were collected by performing impaction method from different wards of a hospital in the central part of Iran, during two seasons. Fungi genera and bacteria species are recognized by cultivation. Concentrations of bacteria and fungi were ranged from 44 to 75 CFU/m 3 and 8 to 22 CFU/m 3 , respectively. Labor Delivery and Recovery (LDR) and Emergency room had first and second most contaminated air among all the hospital wards. No significant difference between microbial load of wards which used natural ventilation and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system was observed. The microbial load was not affected significantly by temperature, working shift, and Inpatient Bed Occupancy Rate (IBOR). Fungal load related significantly with relative humidity. Staphylococcus aureus (detected in 48.3% of samples) and Penicillium (27%) were the most predominant isolated bacteria and fungi, respectively. The results revealed that the level of bacteria and fungi responsible for nosocomial infections in the air of this hospital is very low. Although levels of microbial contamination are relatively low, it is important to investigate the effect of bioaerosols on nosocomial infections, especially in neonates.

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“…The increased susceptibility of children to air pollution is associated with their much more varied activity during the day, the fact that they inhale a greater volume of air in relation to their body size and the incomplete maturity of their immune systems (Branco et al, 2014;WHO, 2018). Air quality in indoor environments, such as nurseries, where children stay for up to 40 h per week, is particularly important because children are a key vulnerable group and may be exposed to lung damage and infections associated with poor indoor air quality (IAQ) (Bragoszewska et al, 2018a;Oliveira et al, 2019;Chegini et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Exposure to bacterial aerosols in kindergartens is associated with a varied range of health effects, including three major groups: infections, toxic reactions, and allergic reactions (Zelles, 1999;Pastuszka, 2001;Douwes et al, 2003;Brągoszewska and Pastuszka, 2018;Gołofit-Szymczak and Górny, 2018;Chegini et al, 2020). The aerodynamic diameter of biological aerosols is strongly related to their deposition site in the human respiratory tract; hence, their health effect is heavily dependent on their physical qualities, particularly their size distribution (Nevalainen et al, 1993;Thorn and Kerekes, 2001;Liebers et al, 2008;Nasir and Colbeck, 2010;Degobbi et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficiency of Air Purifiers at Removing Air Pollutants in Educational Facilities: A Preliminary Study

Brągoszewska¹,

Biedroń²

2021

Front. Environ. Sci.

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Infectious diseases caused by airborne bacteria and viruses are a major problem for both social and economic reasons. The significance of this phenomenon is particularly noticeable during the time of the coronavirus pandemic. One of the consequences is the increased interest in the air purifier (AP) market, which resulted in a significant increase in sales of these devices. In this study, we tested the efficiency of APs in removing bacterial air contamination in the educational context in the Upper Silesia region of Poland during the “cold season” of 2018/2019. During the 6 months of measuring microbiological air quality, an 18% decrease in the concentration of microbiological pollutants as a result of the action of the APs was recorded. Additionally, the results of the particle size distribution of the bacterial aerosols showed a reduction in the share of the respirable fraction (particles with an aerodynamic diameter below 3.3 µm) by an average of 20%. The dominance of gram-positive cocci in the indoor environment indicates that humans are the main source of most of the bacteria present in the building. We conclude that the use of APs may significantly decrease the level of concentration of microbiological air pollutants and reduce the negative health effects of indoor bioaerosols; however, further work that documents this phenomenon is needed.

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Indoor and outdoor airborne bacterial and fungal air quality in kindergartens: Seasonal distribution, genera, levels, and factors influencing their concentration

Cited by 53 publications

References 67 publications

Modes of Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Factors Influencing on the Airborne Transmission: A Review

Modes of Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Factors Influencing on the Airborne Transmission: A Review

Contamination of obsterics and gynecology hospital air by bacterial and fungal aerosols associated with nosocomial infections

Efficiency of Air Purifiers at Removing Air Pollutants in Educational Facilities: A Preliminary Study

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