Microbial Air Contamination in an Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Unit layout affects every aspect of intensive care services, including patient safety. A previous study has shown that patients admitted to beds adjacent to the sink and to the door of a large bayroom had the highest number of positive blood cultures and the highest blood culture incidence density, respectively. The present study measures microbial air contamination in a medical intensive care unit of a medical center in central Taiwan. Of the 17 rooms, 8 rooms with distinct physical environmental characteristics were selected. Sampling tests were conducted between December 2013 and February 2014 with a microbial air sampler (MAS-100NT). TSA was used for bacteria collection and DG18 for fungi collection. The overall average bacterial and fungal concentrations were 83CFU/m<sup>3</sup> and 69CFU/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively. The ranges were between 8-354 CFU/m<sup>3</sup> and 0-1468 CFU/m<sup>3</sup>, respectively. A significant difference was found in the bacterial concentration (p=.005) between different room locations. The highest concentration was found in the rooms located at the front end of the circulation (99 CFU/m<sup>3</sup>), while the lowest was found in the rooms located at the rear end of the circulation (55CFU/m<sup>3</sup>). Differences in fungal concentrations for different room locations did not reach statistical significance. In addition, differences in bacterial and fungal concentrations for rooms with different sink locations did not reach statistical significance. Even though the microbial concentrations generally complied with standards, the results may help designers and hospital administrators develop a healthier environment for patients.

Airborne Fungi in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of a Public Hospital in Brazil

“…as the most frequent fungi. Chang et al, (2015) also reported that the fungal concentrations for different locations in Intensive Care Unit in Taiwan did not reach statistical significance and generally were in the standards.…”

Indoor Air Quality Assessment in Critical Care Department in One Hospital of The General Organization of Teaching Hospitals and Institutes in Cairo Indoor Air Quality Assessment in Critical Care Department in One Hospital of The General Organization of Teaching Hospitals and Institutes in Cairo

“…This importance of the site is supported by a study performed in Taiwan in 2015 where a significant difference was found in bacterial concentration in different sites where highest concentration was found in rooms at the front end of the circulation. Thus we could conclude the most beneficial sites where air filter should be located and sites to be more taken care of to minimize susceptibility of patient infection (7) .…”

Calidad microbiológica del aire en un Centro Comunitario de Salud Familiar de Talcahuano, Región del Biobío, Chile

“…Para cuantificar la carga microbiana en el aire, existen actualmente el método pasivo y el método activo; en ambos métodos se procede al conteo de las ufc, ya sea de bacterias y/o hongos 6 . En este estudio se empleó el método activo puesto que es el recomendado por el Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile 8 . Los recuentos máximos de bacterias y hongos, determinados en el aire al interior del CECOSF-Centinela en Talcahuano, Región del Biobío, variaron entre 2.376-775 ufc/m 3 para bacterias y 153-61 ufc/m 3 , para los hongos.…”

“…Durante julio de 2018 hasta junio de 2019 se tomaron muestra de aire en seis áreas del CECOSF-Centinela en Talcahuano, Región del Biobío. El muestreo se realizó cada 15 días de manera activa empleando el equipo MAS-100 NT (Merck, Alemania, nº de serie: 15986), equipo recomendado en la norma chilena para el estudio de calidad microbiológica de aire 8 . El equipo se dispuso en el centro de cada sala a una altura de 1 m y se programó para filtrar 250 L de aire a un flujo de 100 L/min.…”

“…Considerando que el equipo muestreador de aire MAS-100 NT (Merck, Alemania, nº de serie: 15986), utiliza una tapa con septo de 300 orificios, el número de colonias de bacterias y hongos, aisladas en las placas de agar, fue corregido empleando la expresión de Feller 8 . Los recuentos fueron expresados por cada metro cúbico de aire muestreado (ufc/m 3 ).…”