Journal Article Epublish 1 citation
PubMed: 40137220 DOI: 10.3390/jof11030182
Fungi Assessment in Indoor and Outdoor Environment of Four Selected Hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia.
J Fungi (Basel) 11(3)
Authors: Nurul Izzah Ahmad, Nurul Farehah Shahrir, Anis Syuhada Omar Hamdan, Nur Amalina Kamarudin, Noraishah Mohammad Sham, Jamilah Mahmood, Yin-Hui Leong, Ratna Mohd Tap
Affiliations
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Engineering Services Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Level 4-7, Block E3, Parcel E, Precinct 1, Federal Government Administration Centre, Putrajaya 62590, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya, Malaysia.
- National Poison Centre of Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Georgetown 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
Abstract
Hospital buildings require special attention to protect patients and healthcare workers from hospital-acquired infections and sick building illnesses. This is the first study to assess the prevalence of fungus in indoor air, outdoor air, and their contamination on surfaces at selected locations in four highly contaminated hospitals (A, B, C, and D) in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 294 indoor air samples, 106 scrapped and 169 swabbed, were collected from July 2019 to August 2020. Bioaerosol concentrations were calculated using the colony-forming unit (CFU)/m. Molecular identification was performed on the cultures. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region in the rRNA gene of the isolates was amplified by PCR. Results showed that fungal burden was in the range between 18 and 2597 CFU/m. Fungal load in selected locations at Hospital D were in the higher range between 106 and 2597 CFU/m, with two locations exceeding the national guidelines. Fungal genera were highly identified in air samples (47) compared to swabbed (29) and scrapped (18) samples. The dominant species were , , , , , , and . Fungal loads were higher in the Orthopedic and Oral Surgeon Clinic, the On Call Emergency Room, wards, and pathways.
MeSH
Genes, Genes, Rrna, Air, Fungi, Environment