title: [Bacteriological quality of air in a ward for sterile pharmaceutical preparations].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An extremely clean area is required for preparation of sterile pharmaceutical compounds, in compliance with international standards, to minimize the probability of microbial contamination.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the bacteriological quality of the air in the Sterile Pharmaceutical Preparation Unit of the University of Chile's Clinical Hospital and to set up alerts and action levels of bacterial growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied eight representative sites of our Unit on a daily basis from January to February 2005 and twice a week from June 2005 to February 2006. We collected 839 samples of air by impact in the Petri dish.
  
  
  RESULTS
  474 (56.5%) samples were positive; 17 (3.5%) of them had an inappropriate bacterial growth (2% of total samples). The samples from sites 1 and 2 (big and small biosafety cabinets) were negative. The countertop and transfer area occasionally exceeded the bacterial growth limits. The most frequently isolated bacteria were coagulase-negative staphylococci, Micrococcus spp and Corynebacterium spp, from skin microbiota, and Bacillus spp, an environmental bacteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From a microbiological perspective, the air quality in our sterile preparation unit complied with international standards. Setting institutional alerts and action levels and appropriately identifying bacteria in sensitive areas permits quantification of the microbial load and application of preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Laboratorio Clínico, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile. bcaorsi@redclinicauchile.cl
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caorsi P
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakurada Z
authors.forename: M Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ulloa F
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pezzani V
authors.forename: Paz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Latorre O
mesh_terms: D000391:Air Microbiology / Q000592:standards*; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000592:standards; D004340:Drug Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000592:standards*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D011786:Quality Control; D013242:Sterilization
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations