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Related Experiment Videos

Fungal aerobiology: how, when and where?

R J Hay1, Y M Clayton, J M Goodley

  • 1St John's Institute of Dermatology, UMDS, Guy's Hospital, London, UK.

The Journal of Hospital Infection
|June 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Severely immunocompromised patients, particularly those with neutropenia, require environmental protection against Aspergillus spores. For non-neutropenic patients, hospital air filtration is less critical than pre-existing fungal colonization.

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Mycology
  • Hospital Infection Control
  • Environmental Health

Background:

  • Hospitalized patients face risks from airborne fungal spores, primarily Aspergillus.
  • Infection risk varies significantly based on patient's underlying condition and spore exposure levels.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the risk of Aspergillus infection in hospitalized patients.
  • To determine the effectiveness of environmental controls, such as air filtration, in mitigating infection risk.
  • To differentiate risk factors and protective strategies for neutropenic versus non-neutropenic patients.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed patient risk based on underlying conditions and degree of immunocompromise.
  • Evaluated airborne Aspergillus spore levels using colony-forming units (cfu) per unit of air.
  • Reviewed current environmental control strategies, including laminar air flow rooms and HEPA filtration.

Main Results:

  • Severely neutropenic patients are highly susceptible to Aspergillus infection even at low spore concentrations, necessitating environmental protection.
  • Airborne spore levels (cfu) are unpredictable and monitoring may not alter management if ventilation is adequate.
  • For non-neutropenic patients, pre-hospital colonization poses a risk comparable to hospital exposure, diminishing the value of air filtration.

Conclusions:

  • Highly filtered environments, such as laminar air flow rooms, are essential for severely immunocompromised patients.
  • Routine ventilation system maintenance is crucial for effective environmental control.
  • Air filtration offers limited benefit for non-neutropenic patients unless external factors, like nearby construction, increase ambient spore load.

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