Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Indoor Air at Different Hospital Sites of Dilla University: A Cross-Sectional Study
Background: In both residential and hospital indoor environments, humans can be exposed to airborne microorganisms. The hospital’s indoor air may contain a large number of disease-causing agents brought in by patients, staff, students, visitors, ventilation, or the outside. Hospitalized patients are...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Environmental Health Insights |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786302221100047 |
| _version_ | 1818204343377068032 |
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| author | Zemachu Ashuro Kuma Diriba Abel Afework Gose Husen Washo Abriham Shiferaw Areba Girum G/meskel Kanno Habtamu Endashaw Hareru Abdene Weya Kaso Mehret Tesfu |
| author_facet | Zemachu Ashuro Kuma Diriba Abel Afework Gose Husen Washo Abriham Shiferaw Areba Girum G/meskel Kanno Habtamu Endashaw Hareru Abdene Weya Kaso Mehret Tesfu |
| author_sort | Zemachu Ashuro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: In both residential and hospital indoor environments, humans can be exposed to airborne microorganisms. The hospital’s indoor air may contain a large number of disease-causing agents brought in by patients, staff, students, visitors, ventilation, or the outside. Hospitalized patients are at a higher risk of infection due to confined spaces, crowdedness, and poor infection prevention practices, which can accumulate and create favorable conditions for the growth and multiplication of microorganisms. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the indoor air bacterial load in Dilla University Hospital, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was used to assess the bacterial load in the indoor air at Dilla University Hospital. To determine the bacterial load, a passive air sampling technique was used. The settle plate method was used to collect data, which involved exposing Petri-dishes filled with blood agar media to the indoor air of the sampled rooms for 60 minutes. Result: A total of 72 indoor air samples were collected once a week for 2 weeks at 14-day intervals from 18 rooms in 8 wards, and samples were collected twice a day in the morning and afternoon. The mean bacterial concentrations ranged from 450 to 1585.83 CFU/m 3 after 60 minutes of culture media exposure. The mean bacterial concentrations in the obstetrics, surgical, pediatric, gynecology, and medical wards exceeded WHO guidelines. A high indoor air bacterial load was found in 58 (80.6%) of the samples in this study. Gram-positive bacteria in the air were the most common 51 (71%) of the bacterial population measured in all indoor environments. Fungal growth was found in 65 (90.3%) of the samples. Temperatures (26.5°C-28.3°C) and relative humidity (61.1%-67.8%) in the rooms were both above WHO guidelines, creating favorable conditions for bacterial growth and multiplication. Conclusion: The majority of the wards at Dilla University Hospital had bacterial loads in the air that exceeded WHO guidelines. Overcrowding, high temperatures, inadequate ventilation, improper waste management, and a lack of traffic flow control mechanisms could all contribute to a high concentration of bacteria in the indoor air. To control the introduction of microorganisms by patients, students, caregivers, and visitors, it is critical to regularly monitor indoor air bacterial load and implement infection prevention and control measures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:39:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c61357bd653342d7942f881b16d69d31 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-6302 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T03:39:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Health Insights |
| spelling | doaj.art-c61357bd653342d7942f881b16d69d312022-12-22T00:39:43ZengSAGE PublishingEnvironmental Health Insights1178-63022022-05-011610.1177/11786302221100047Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Indoor Air at Different Hospital Sites of Dilla University: A Cross-Sectional StudyZemachu Ashuro0Kuma Diriba1Abel Afework2Gose Husen Washo3Abriham Shiferaw Areba4Girum G/meskel Kanno5Habtamu Endashaw Hareru6Abdene Weya Kaso7Mehret Tesfu8Department of Environmental Health, College of Health Science and Medicine, Dilla University, Dilla, EthiopiaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Science and Medicine, Dilla University, Dilla, EthiopiaDepartment of Infection Prevention and Control, Dilla University Hospital, Dilla, EthiopiaSchool of Medicine, College of Health Science and Medicine, Dilla University, Dilla, EthiopiaDepartement of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Science, Wachemo University, Hossana, EthiopiaDepartment of Environmental Health, College of Health Science and Medicine, Dilla University, Dilla, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, College of Health Science and Medicine, Dilla University, Dilla, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, College of Health Science and Medicine, Dilla University, Dilla, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, College of Health Science and Medicine, Dilla University, Dilla, EthiopiaBackground: In both residential and hospital indoor environments, humans can be exposed to airborne microorganisms. The hospital’s indoor air may contain a large number of disease-causing agents brought in by patients, staff, students, visitors, ventilation, or the outside. Hospitalized patients are at a higher risk of infection due to confined spaces, crowdedness, and poor infection prevention practices, which can accumulate and create favorable conditions for the growth and multiplication of microorganisms. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the indoor air bacterial load in Dilla University Hospital, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was used to assess the bacterial load in the indoor air at Dilla University Hospital. To determine the bacterial load, a passive air sampling technique was used. The settle plate method was used to collect data, which involved exposing Petri-dishes filled with blood agar media to the indoor air of the sampled rooms for 60 minutes. Result: A total of 72 indoor air samples were collected once a week for 2 weeks at 14-day intervals from 18 rooms in 8 wards, and samples were collected twice a day in the morning and afternoon. The mean bacterial concentrations ranged from 450 to 1585.83 CFU/m 3 after 60 minutes of culture media exposure. The mean bacterial concentrations in the obstetrics, surgical, pediatric, gynecology, and medical wards exceeded WHO guidelines. A high indoor air bacterial load was found in 58 (80.6%) of the samples in this study. Gram-positive bacteria in the air were the most common 51 (71%) of the bacterial population measured in all indoor environments. Fungal growth was found in 65 (90.3%) of the samples. Temperatures (26.5°C-28.3°C) and relative humidity (61.1%-67.8%) in the rooms were both above WHO guidelines, creating favorable conditions for bacterial growth and multiplication. Conclusion: The majority of the wards at Dilla University Hospital had bacterial loads in the air that exceeded WHO guidelines. Overcrowding, high temperatures, inadequate ventilation, improper waste management, and a lack of traffic flow control mechanisms could all contribute to a high concentration of bacteria in the indoor air. To control the introduction of microorganisms by patients, students, caregivers, and visitors, it is critical to regularly monitor indoor air bacterial load and implement infection prevention and control measures.https://doi.org/10.1177/11786302221100047 |
| spellingShingle | Zemachu Ashuro Kuma Diriba Abel Afework Gose Husen Washo Abriham Shiferaw Areba Girum G/meskel Kanno Habtamu Endashaw Hareru Abdene Weya Kaso Mehret Tesfu Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Indoor Air at Different Hospital Sites of Dilla University: A Cross-Sectional Study Environmental Health Insights |
| title | Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Indoor Air at Different Hospital Sites of Dilla University: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Indoor Air at Different Hospital Sites of Dilla University: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Indoor Air at Different Hospital Sites of Dilla University: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Indoor Air at Different Hospital Sites of Dilla University: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Assessment of Microbiological Quality of Indoor Air at Different Hospital Sites of Dilla University: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | assessment of microbiological quality of indoor air at different hospital sites of dilla university a cross sectional study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/11786302221100047 |
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