[A bacteriological study of the air in a surgical intensive care unit (author's transl)]

The air in a surgical intensive care unit was analysed with the view of ascertaining the influence on the bacterial content of the air of such medical and nursing procedures as intubation, X-ray examination, bladder washout, massage, physiotherapy, bedmaking. By means of a Casella slit sampler, placed in the middle of the room, it was established that the activities mentioned above caused the bacterial count to rise by 35-310 percent above the hourly determined normal level. In some cases the count did not return to normal until 30 minutes later. Simultaneous determinations of the dust content of the air by means of a Royco particle counter showed fairly close correlation between changes in the number of particles (over 5 mu) and in the number of bacteria in the air. Petri plates exposed near the patient showed a definite relationship between medical or nursing activities involving that particular patient and the number of bacteria deposited on the plate. Continuous disinfection of the air by air-conditioning - cum-ultraviolet ray equipment succeeded in reducing the average bacterial count by 50 per cent although the figures varied in different parts of the ward.