Evaluation of airborne fungal pollution in the burn ward of Imam Khomeini hospital, the referral burn center in the west of Iran

In hospital facilities the quality of indoor air is a critical factor in the prevention of infections. Poor quality air inside hospitals may lead to hospital-acquired infections, sick building syndrome, and various occupational risks. The aim of this study was to determine the level of airborne fungal contamination in a referral burn center in Western Iran, affiliated to Kermanshah University in Medical Sciences.
This study was performed in the burn ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, in July 2013. Samples were collected from four different parts of the ward, including; public rooms (31 samples), corridor (10 samples), toilet (9 samples), and dressing room (8 samples). Open lid petri dishes, containing Sabouraud dextrose agar medium, were held approximately 1.5 meters from the floor for 15 minutes. The airborne fungi were identified using mycological methods. Descriptive analysis of data was performed using SPSS software (version 16).
Out of a total of 58 culture samples, 38 were positive for fungi. There were 54 colonies from six fungal genera. The most prevalent fungal species were Penicillium spp. with 18 colonies (33.3%), followed by Aspergillus spp. with 13 (24%) colonies. Public rooms were the most contaminated areas (93.5%), while the dressing room (25%) was the cleanest area. The rate of contamination in the dressing room and other areas of the burn ward were statistically significant (PThe results of this study indicated a high frequency of fungal contamination in the burn ward, particularly in the public rooms. Our data suggested that this ward -with its high risk patients- needs to be equipped with disinfectant equipment such as a HEPA filter