Microbiological quality of indoor air in university libraries

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the concentration of bacteria and fungi in the indoor environment of Jimma University libraries, so as to estimate the health hazard and to create standards for indoor air quality control.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The microbial quality of indoor air of eight libraries of Jimma University was determined. The settle plate method using open Petri-dishes containing different culture media was employed to collect sample twice daily. Isolates were identified according to standard methods.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The concentrations of bacteria and fungi aerosols in the indoor environment of the university libraries ranged between 367-2595 CFU/m(3). According to the sanitary standards classification of European Commission, almost all the libraries indoor air of Jimma University was heavily contaminated with bacteria and fungi. In spite of their major source difference, the average fungi density found in the indoor air of libraries did appear to follow the same trend with bacterial density (P=0.001). The bacteria isolates included Micrococcus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus sp. and Neisseria sp. while Cladosporium sp., Alternaria sp., Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp. were the most isolated fungi.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The indoor air of all libraries were in the range above highly contaminated according to European Commission classification and the most isolates are considered as potential candidates involved in the establishment of sick building syndromes and often associated with clinical manifestations like allergy, rhinitis, asthma and conjunctivitis. Thus, attention must be given to control those environmental factors which favor the growth and multiplication of microbes in indoor environment of libraries to safeguard the health of users and workers.</p>

Microbiological Quality of Indoor Air in University Libraries

Objective: To evaluate the concentration of bacteria and fungi in the indoor environment of Jimma University libraries, so as to estimate the health hazard and to create standards for indoor air quality control.Methods:determined. The settle plate method using open Petri-dishes containing different culture media was employed to collect sample twice daily. Isolates were identified according to standard methods.Results:The concentrations of bacteria and fungi aerosols in the indoor environment of the The microbial quality of indoor air of eight libraries of Jimma University was university libraries ranged between 367-2595 CFU/m3. According to the sanitary standards classification of European Commission, almost all the libraries indoor air of Jimma University was heavily contaminated with bacteria and fungi. In spite of their major source difference, the average fungi density found in the indoor air of libraries did appear to follow the same trend with bacterial density (P=0.001). The bacteria isolates included Micrococcus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus sp. and Neisseria sp. while Cladosporium sp., Alternaria sp.,Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus sp. were the most isolated fungi. Conclusions: The indoor air of all libraries were in the range above highly contaminated according to European Commission classification and the most isolates are considered as potential candidates involved in the establishment of sick building syndromes and often associated with clinical manifestations like allergy, rhinitis, asthma and conjunctivitis. Thus, attention must be given to control those environmental factors which favor the growth and multiplication of microbes in indoor environment of libraries to safeguard the health of users and workers.

Pesquisa sobre a contaminação de hortaliças por ovos e larvas de nematódeos e cistos de protozoários como método de estudo / Research on the contamination of vegetables with eggs and larvae of nematodes and protozoa cysts as study method

Objetivou-se descrever uma prática de ensino integrada à pesquisa que poderá ser desenvolvida tanto em escolas de ensino fundamental e médio quanto em universidades. A pesquisa foi realizada de 2002 a 2011 como atividade prática da disciplina de Parasitologia aplicada ao curso de Nutrição. Cada equipe de trabalho recebeu um roteiro prático (projeto) com as instruções para a realização da pesquisa de enteroparasitos em hortaliças. Estas foram processadas pela técnica de sedimentação espontânea utilizando-se um aparato desenvolvido com material reciclável. A observação do sedimento corado com lugol foi realizada entre lâmina e lamínula. Constatou-se contaminação em dez espécies de hortaliças com 36,4 por cento (56/154) de positividade; destas, 48,8 por cento para larvas de helmintos, 23,3 por cento para cistos de protozoários e 13,9 por cento para ovos de helmintos. A aceitação dos alunos em relação à atividade prática foi expressiva (98,4 por cento). Esta prática vem contribuindo para a formação do acadêmico, dinamizando e incentivando o estudo da Parasitologia e alertando aos futuros profissionais da saúde sobre o fato de que a veiculação de parasitos em hortaliças consumidas in natura constitui uma questão de segurança alimentar e, consequentemente, de saúde pública...

The objective of the present study was to describe a teaching practice integrated with research that could be developed in primary and junior high schools and universities. The research was carried out from 2002 to 2011 as a practical activity of Parasitology applied to the Nutrition Course. Each work team received a practical plan (project) with instructions to carry out enteroparasite research in vegetables. The vegetables were processed using the principle of the spontaneous sedimentation technique with a device developed with recycled material. The sediment was observed between a slide and a lugol-stained slide. Contamination was found in ten vegetable species with 36.4 percent (56/154) positivity. Of these, 48.8 percent were helminths, 23.3 percent protozoan cysts and 13.9 percent helminth eggs. Student evaluation of the practical activity was positive with 98.4 percent acceptance. This practice has contributed to the education of academics, enlivening and encouraging the study of parasitology and alerting future health professionals that parasites carried in vegetables eaten raw are a concern for food safety and consequently, public health...

Comparación de las técnicas Kato-Katz, TSET y TSR en el diagnóstico de infección por Fasciola hepatica en humanos / Comparison of the technique Kato-Kazt, TSET and TSR in diagnosis of the infection by Fasciola hepatica in humans

Introducción: La Fasciolosis es una enfermedad causada por el parásito Fasciola hepatica, que afecta primordialmente a bovinos, ovinos, caprinos y en algunas zonas de forma endémica a los humanos. En la investigación clínica y epidemiológica de fasciolosis humana es importante contar con técnicas coprológicas de diagnóstico de alta sensibilidad y especificidad. Objetivo: realizar la comparación de tres técnicas coprológicas para el diagnóstico de infección por Fasciola hepatica en humanos. Metodología: se procesaron 200 gramos de materia fecal de humanos contaminada experimentalmente con huevos de F. hepatica que se obtuvieron de análisis anteriores con muestras de ganado bovino y ovino. La muestra se dividió en 10 partes iguales; a cada una de estas muestras se les realizó la técnicas de Kato-Katz, técnica de sedimentación espontánea en tubo (TSET) y técnica de sedimentación rápida (TSR). Finalmente, la lectura de las muestras se basó en el diseño metodológico del doble ciego. Resultados: se encontró que la técnica de sedimentación rápida fue la más sensible de las tres evaluadas, detectándose positividad en 7,5 muestras de 10 analizadas; seguida por la técnica de Kato-Katz con 4,5 muestras y en último lugar la técnica de sedimentación espontánea en Tubo que mostró solo un resultado positivo. Conclusión: en este trabajo se encontró que la técnica de sedimentación rápida constituye la herramienta de elección para el profesional porque es la más sensible de las tres; además de ser sencilla, económica y de fácil aplicación en laboratorios de niveles uno y dos de complejidad para realizar un diagnóstico satisfactorio de fasciolosis humana. Salud UIS 2012; 44 (3): 7-12.

Introduction: fasciolosis is a disease caused by the parasite Fasciola hepatica wich primarily affects cattle, sheep, and goats. In certain areas, it is endemic for human beings. In clinical and epidemiological research of human fasciolosis is important to get diagnostic techniques with high sensibility and specificity. Objective: perform the comparison between three coprological techniques for the diagnosis of infection by F. hepatica in humans. Methods: 200 grams of human feces were experimentally contaminated with F. hepatica eggs obtained from previous analysis with cattle and sheep faecal samples. The preparation was divided into 10 equal parts, each one was processed by the Kato- Katz technique, the spontaneous tube sedimentation technique (STST) and rapid sedimentation technique (TSR). Finally, all samples reading was based on the double-blind study design. Results: we found out that TSR was the most sensitive of the three techniques tested: 7,5 of 10 samples analyzed were positive, followed by the Kato-Katz technique with 4.5 of 10 samples and TSET with only one of 10 samples. Conclusion: This study concludes that the rapid sedimentation technique is the tool of choice for professionals because it is simple, inexpensive and easily applied in laboratories with levels complexity one and two, for a successful diagnosis of human fasciolosis. Salud UIS 2012; 44 (3): 7-12.