A qualitative and quantitative study monitoring airborne fungal flora in the kidney transplant unit

Indoor air quality in a training centre used for sports practice

Background

One of the measures for controlling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was the mass closure of gyms. This measure leads us to determine the differences between indoor and outdoor air quality. That is why the objective of this study was to analyse the indoor air quality of a sports centre catering to small groups and rehabilitation.

Methods

The study was conducted in a single training centre, where 26 measurements were taken in two spaces (indoors and outdoors). The air quality index, temperature, relative humidity, total volatile compounds, carbon monoxide, ozone, formaldehyde, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter were measured indoors and outdoors using the same protocol and equipment. These measurements were taken twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, with all measurements made at the same time, 10 am and 6 pm, respectively. Additionally, four determinations of each variable were collected during each shift, and the number of people who had trained in the room and the number of trainers were counted.

Results

In the different variables analysed, the results show that CO₂ and RH levels are higher indoors than outdoors in both measurement shifts. Temperatures are higher outside than inside and, in the evening, than in the morning. TVOC, AQI and PM show less variation, although they are higher outdoors in the morning. CO is highest indoors. HCHO levels are almost negligible and do not vary significantly, except for a slight increase in the afternoon outside. Ozone levels are not significant. All the variables showed practically perfect reliability in all the measurements, except for ozone measured outside in the morning. On the other hand, the variables exhibit variations between indoors and outdoors during the morning and afternoon, except for the three types of PM. Also, the data show that all the main variables measured inside the sports training centre are similar between morning and afternoon. However, outside, temperature, relative humidity and HCHO levels show significant differences between morning and afternoon while no differences are observed for the other variables.

Conclusion

The indoor air quality of the training centre assessed was good and met current regulations; some of its components even exhibited better levels than fresh air. This article is the first to measure indoor air quality in a sports training centre catering to rehabilitation and small groups.

Airborne fungi in an intensive care unit

The presence of airborne fungi in Intensive Care Unit (ICUs) is associated with increased nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was the isolation and identification of airborne fungi presented in an ICU from the University Hospital of Pelotas - RS, with the attempt to know the place's environmental microbiota. 40 Petri plates with Sabouraud Dextrose Agar were exposed to an environment of an ICU, where samples were collected in strategic places during morning and afternoon periods for ten days. Seven fungi genera were identified: Penicillium spp. (15.18%), genus with the higher frequency, followed by Aspergillus spp., Cladosporium spp., Fusarium spp., Paecelomyces spp., Curvularia spp., Alternaria spp., Zygomycetes and sterile mycelium. The most predominant fungi genus were Aspergillus spp. (13.92%) in the morning and Cladosporium spp. (13.92%) in the afternoon. Due to their involvement in different diseases, the identified fungi genera can be classified as potential pathogens of inpatients. These results reinforce the need of monitoring the environmental microorganisms with high frequency and efficiently in health institutions.

Detection of Common Respiratory Viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in Patient-Occupied Rooms in Pediatric Wards

Few studies have assessed viral contamination in the rooms of hospital wards. This cross-sectional study evaluated the air and objects in patient-occupied rooms in pediatric wards for the presence of common respiratory viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.Air samplers were placed at a short (60-80 cm) and long (320 cm) distance from the head of the beds of 58 pediatric patients, who were subsequently confirmed to be infected with enterovirus (n = 17), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (n = 13), influenza A virus (n = 13), adenovirus (n = 9), or M pneumoniae (n = 6). Swab samples were collected from the surfaces of 5 different types of objects in the patients' rooms. All air and swab samples were analyzed via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay for the presence of the above pathogens.All pathogens except enterovirus were detected in the air, on the objects, or in both locations in the patients' rooms. The detection rates of influenza A virus, adenovirus, and M pneumoniae for the long distance air sampling were 15%, 67%, and 17%, respectively. Both adenovirus and M pneumoniae were detected at very high rates, with high concentrations, on all sampled objects.The respiratory pathogens RSV, influenza A virus, adenovirus, and M pneumoniae were detected in the air and/or on the objects in the pediatric ward rooms. Appropriate infection control measures should be strictly implemented when caring for such patients.