Author(s)

J. I. Macedo, T. H. Kubota, L. S. Matsumoto, A. T. Giordani, A. M. M. Takayanagui, A. A. Mendes & D. A. Bertolini

Abstract

In recent decades, the contamination of the atmosphere has occupied a prominent place causing countless harm, making it a public health problem which jeopardises in a serious way the hospital environment, bringing a potential risk of hospital infection (HI). The aim of the study was to identify and classify hospital fungal contaminants in units of high complexity. The assessment of air quality was carried out in four categories of environment: High Complexity Intensive Care Adult Unit (AICU), Newborn (NICU), hallways and corridors and external area. The monitoring of these environments was conducted in the morning and afternoon, the air filters were removed and transferred to plates with culture media BDA and incubated at 28°C, isolated and identified. Ten genera of filamentous fungi, pathogenic and toxigenic were found. It was found that, in the afternoon and in the morning, the contamination was significantly lower in AICU (23.3 CFU/m3), with 55.3 CFU/m3 in NICU. In none of the environments studied, the average concentration of filamentous fungi exceeded the maximum recommended by Resolution N°. 09 of the National Agency for Sanitary Vigilance of 750 CFU/m3. Keywords: air quality, hospital units, fungi, infection.

Keywords

air quality, hospital units, fungi, infection