Indoor air studies of fungi contamination at the Department of Pulmonology and Internal Medicine in Kavala Hospital in Greece.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to assess the presence of airborne fungi and the fungal flora of the walls in the Departments of Pulmonary and Internal Medicine in Kavala Hospital (Greece).


METHODS
The study was carried out at the Department of Pulmonology and Internal medicine in Kavala Hospital. Materials for the tests were: the air samples (in front of the building and the selected rooms) and swabs from the walls. The air pollution was determined using SAS SUPER 100 (Pbi International). The microbial flora from walls was assessed using the Count-Tact applicator and the plate Count-Tact (BioMerieux). Humidity and temperature were evaluated by a thermo-hygrometer.


RESULTS
The following fungal pathogens isolated from air were Aspergillus, Candida albicans, Candida spp., and Penicillium species in the Department of Pulmonary. Similar pathogens in the air of Department and Internal Medicine were found. Mean number of fungi colonies isolated from air in the Department of Pulmonology was significantly (p<0.001) higher compared to the Department of Internal Medicine. No significant correlations between CFU of fungi in air and temperature in both Departments were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The main fungal pathogens isolated from the air samples were Aspergillus and Candida albicans in the Departments of Pulmonary and Internal Medicine in Kavala Hospital. Fungal occurrence in the air of rooms and walls varied between the both departments of the same hospital.
Krajewska-Kułak
E
E
Department of General Nursing, Mycological Laboratory, Medical University of Białystok, Bialystok, Poland. elzbieta.krajewska@wp.pl
Łukaszuk
C
C
Hatzopulu
A
A
Bousmoukilia
S
S
Terovitou
Ch
Ch
Amanatidou
A
A
Danilidis
D
D
D000391:Air Microbiology; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002175:Candida / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005658:Fungi / Q000145:classification*; D006115:Greece; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D007388:Internal Medicine; D010407:Penicillium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine; D013696:Temperature
D000393:Air Pollutants