Environmental Surveillance on Fungi in Transplantation Department and Intensive Care Unit / 中华医院感染学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE To supervise the environmental fungal load and species distribution in transplantation department and intensive care unit of the Southwest Hospital,and to analyze the relationship with season,temperature,humidity,ventilation and personnel activities.METHODS Data from Dec 2005 to Jan 2006 were collected from liver transplantation department(LTD),cerebral surgery intensive care unit(CSICU) and central intensive care unit(CICU).Air,surfaces and tap water were sampled twice a month at each department.RESULTS The air fungal load was 123.63 CFU/m3,139.90 CFU/m3,7 CFU/m3 and 217.71 CFU/m3 at LTD,CSICU,CICU and outdoor,respectively.The five most prevalent fungi collected from air and surface were Penicillium spp,Cladosporium spp,Alternaria spp,Aspergillus spp and Saccharomyces spp in turn.The five most prevalent fungi collected from water were Saccharomyces spp,Candida spp,Aspergillus spp,Penicillium spp and Rhodotorula spp in turn.The fungal load in LTD was positively correlated with the average temperature and the average humidity;the fungal load in CSICU was correlated with the average temperature and the average humidity,but the correlation between air fungal load and personnel activities wasn′t observed.CONCLUSIONS It demonstrated the fungi are found in the environment of the hospital including air,surface and water.The air fungal load varies throughout the year.The crest-time is May to June and September to October.Air fungal load is lower in winter and higher in summer and autumn.The correlation between air fungal load and temperature and humidity is observed.