Airborne Aspergillus contamination during hospital construction works: efficacy of protective measures.
BACKGROUND
The Dijon University Hospital in Dijon, France is involved in a large construction program with heavy truck traffic and a very dusty environment. This study aimed to assess the impact of outdoor hospital construction work on Aspergillus air contamination in the immediate environment of patients at high risk for aspergillosis in the presence of protective measures.


METHODS
Prospective air and surface sampling (n=1301) was performed in 3 hospital units over a 30-month period. Generalized estimating equations were used to test the relationship between Aspergillus air contamination and the different variables (construction period, air treatment system, and surface contamination).


RESULTS
Positivity rates of Aspergillus spp varied from 21.1% before construction work to 16.9% during work for air samples (P=.07), and the associated mean fungal load varied from 1.21 colony-forming units (CFU)/m(3) to 0.64 CFU/m(3) (P=.04). In multivariate analysis, only the use of an air treatment system was associated with decreased airborne Aspergillus contamination (P < .0001). No significant difference was observed between the presence or absence of construction work and the proportion of airborne Aspergillus contamination (P=.91) or the Aspergillus fungal load (P=.10).


CONCLUSIONS
No influence of hospital construction work on airborne Aspergillus contamination was demonstrated when protective measures were taken, including reinforcement of the importance of environmental cleaning.
Fournel
Isabelle
I
Hospital Hygiene and Epidemiology Unit, Hôpital du Bocage, Dijon Cedex, France. isabellefournel@yahoo.fr
Sautour
Marc
M
Lafon
Ingrid
I
Sixt
Nathalie
N
L'Ollivier
Coralie
C
Dalle
Frédéric
F
Chavanet
Pascal
P
Couillaud
Gérard
G
Caillot
Denis
D
Astruc
Karine
K
Bonnin
Alain
A
Aho-Glélé
Ludwid-Serge
LS
D000391:Air Microbiology; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005602:France; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction; D006797:Housekeeping, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000379:methods*