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Evaluation of airborne particulates and fungi during hospital renovation
P A Overberger1, R M Wadowsky, M M Schaper
1University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, PA 15261, USA.
Abstract:
This study was conducted over 30 weeks on a hospital floor undergoing partial renovation. Some patients housed on the floor were immunosuppressed, including bone marrow transplant recipients. The construction zone was placed under negative pressure and was separated from patient rooms by existing hospital walls and via erection of a temporary barrier. Other control measures minimized patient exposure to airborne materials. Air sampling was done for 3 weeks prior to construction, 24 weeks during construction, and 3 weeks after renovation was completed. Airborne particulate concentrations, total spore counts, particle size, and fungal species were assessed. At the beginning of the renovation there were increases in airborne particulates (from 0.2 to 2.0 mg/m3) and fungal spores (from 3.5 to 350 colony forming units (CFU/m3), but only in the construction zone. Throughout the remainder of the renovation, particulate and fungal spore levels fluctuated inside the construction zone but remained close to baseline values in the patient area. When renovation was completed, particulates and spore counts inside the construction zone decreased to preconstruction levels. The primary fungus isolated from air samples was Penicillium. This study demonstrated that control measures were effective in reducing exposures of hospitalized patients to airborne particulates and spores and in reducing the increased risk of aspergillosis and other fungal infections associated with hospital construction projects. The data from this study may be useful in establishing exposure guidelines for other health care settings.
Insights
Hospital renovations can increase airborne particles and fungal spores. Effective control measures, like negative pressure zones, protected immunosuppressed patients from increased exposure during a 30-week construction project.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Hospital Infection Control
- Clinical Microbiology
Background:
- Hospital construction projects can pose risks to patients, especially those who are immunocompromised, due to potential increases in airborne particulates and fungal spores.
- Maintaining a safe environment for vulnerable patient populations during renovations is critical for preventing healthcare-associated infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of control measures implemented during a hospital renovation to minimize patient exposure to airborne particulates and fungal spores.
- To assess the impact of construction on air quality within a hospital setting housing at-risk patients.
Main Methods:
- Air sampling was conducted for three weeks pre-construction, 24 weeks during construction, and three weeks post-renovation.
- Measurements included airborne particulate concentrations, total spore counts, particle size, and fungal species identification.
- Control measures included negative pressure in the construction zone and temporary barriers to separate it from patient areas.
Main Results:
- Initial increases in airborne particulates and fungal spores were confined to the construction zone.
- Particulate and spore levels in patient areas remained near baseline throughout the renovation.
- Fungal spore counts and particulate levels in the construction zone returned to pre-construction levels after completion.
Conclusions:
- Implemented control measures effectively protected hospitalized patients from increased exposure to airborne particulates and fungal spores during renovation.
- These findings support the use of specific containment strategies to mitigate infection risks associated with hospital construction.
- The study provides data that could inform the development of exposure guidelines for similar healthcare settings.