Airborne microfungi in Oncology Service of Medical School Hospital of Trakya University


ÖKTEN S., ŞEN B., ASAN A., Bahadir N.

Indoor and Built Environment, cilt.24, sa.6, ss.771-776, 2015 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 24 Sayı: 6
  • Basım Tarihi: 2015
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1177/1420326x14533712
  • Dergi Adı: Indoor and Built Environment
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.771-776
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Air quality, Airborne fungi, Hospital, Indoor air, Oncology
  • Trakya Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study was performed in six different stations - drug preparation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and three different patient rooms - in Oncology Service of Trakya University Medical Hospital in Edirne. Indoor air samples of equal volumes of 100 L were taken twice a month during the six-month study period. The analysis of samples showed that 8540 microfungi colonies were present in a total of 7.2 m3 air sample. November and April were found to be the months during which the highest numbers of fungal spores were isolated with 2570 CFU/m3 and 2060 CFU/m3, respectively, while the lowest spore counts were isolated during January (730 CFU/m3). Penicillium was found to be the most commonly isolated fungal genus with 2950 CFU/m3/spore followed by Cladosporium with 2110 CFU/m3. The other fungal genera isolated during the study are Aspergillus (640 CFU/m3), Alternaria (200 CFU/m3), Trichoderma (70 CFU/m3) and Rhizopus (40 CFU/m3). Among the most frequently isolated fungal species, Penicillium brevicompactum was the most common species with 960 CFU/m3 followed by Cladosporium cladosporioides with 930 CFU/m3. Aspergillus fumigatus, the fungal species of paramount importance in terms of human health, was also reported with a 410 CFU/m3. Statistical analyses were performed in order to reveal the relationship between microfungal colony numbers isolated and station temperature and relative humidity.