title: Characteristics of airborne micro-organisms in a neurological intensive care unit: Results from China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the characteristics of airborne micro-organisms in the environment in a Chinese neurological intensive care unit (NICU).
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study monitored the air environment in two wards (large and small) of an NICU in a tertiary hospital in China for 12 months, using an LWC-1 centrifugal air sampler. Airborne micro-organisms were identified using standard microbiology techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ± SD number of airborne bacteria was significantly higher in the large ward than in the small ward (200 ± 51 colony-forming units [CFU]/m(3) versus 110 ± 40 CFU/m(3), respectively). In the large ward only, the mean number of airborne bacteria in the autumn was significantly higher than in any of the other three seasons. A total of 279 airborne micro-organisms were identified (large ward: 195; small ward: 84). There was no significant difference in the type and distribution of airborne micro-organisms between the large and small wards. The majority of airborne micro-organisms were Gram-positive cocci in both wards.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that the number of airborne micro-organisms was related to the number of patients on the NICU ward.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine College, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China Hebei Province Coal Mine Health and Safety Laboratory, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Sufeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Kailuan General Hospital, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei Province China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Public Health and Preventive Medicine College, Hebei United University, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China Hebei Province Coal Mine Health and Safety Laboratory, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Yingjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China gxg56@tom.com.
authors.forename: Xuguang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002681:China; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000382:microbiology*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Nosocomial infection; air environment; bacteria; neurological intensive care unit