Authors
Fadeyi A¹, Oyeleke OO¹, Adesiyun OO 2, Raheem RA¹, Desalu OO 3, Nwabuisi C¹
Abstract
The indoor air contamination by microorganisms constitute source of potential infection to the occupants of the room, and is now a potential threat to the healthcare system because of the increase risk of nosocomial infection out-breaks.
Objective: The study aimed at assessing the bacteriological quality of the indoor air at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria (UITH).
Materials and Methods: This was conducted over a period of 3 days in June, 2018. The passive air sampling technique was adopted using the 1/1/1 scheme. A set of Blood and McConkey agar plates were kept at 1m away from the floor and side walls of the room and exposed to the indoor air for one hour and there after they were incubated at 35°C-37°C for 18-24hours. This process was performed between 10.00-11.00 am and 3.00-4.00 pm daily in the NICU which was partition into four segments. Standard microbiologic methods were employed for the identification of the bacterial isolates. The density of the bacterial contaminants was calculated in colony forming unit per cubic meter (cfu/m³). The mean density of the bacterial contaminants for each of the four sections of the NICU, the total mean density, and the Grand mean density were also calculated. The Grand mean density was compared with the American Industrial Hygienist Association (AIHA) acceptable limit (5 x 10² CFU/m³).
Results: Six bacterial contaminants were isolated namely: Staphylococcus aureus (44.9%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (14.1%), Micrococcus (19.2%), Klebiella pneumonia (10.3%), Bacillus spp. (6.5%), and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (5.1%). The highest and the lowest total mean density of the indoor air contaminants were 4.436 X 10³ CFU/m³ and 2.509 X 10³ CFU/m³ respectively. Highest densities of bacterial air contaminants were obtained during the peak of clinical activities in the morning hours. The Grand mean density was significantly (0.006) above the acceptable AIHA standard.
Conclusion: There is need for a review of the indoor air decontamination measures in the hospital NICU towards making it safe, efficient and to reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections.
Objective: The study aimed at assessing the bacteriological quality of the indoor air at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria (UITH).
Materials and Methods: This was conducted over a period of 3 days in June, 2018. The passive air sampling technique was adopted using the 1/1/1 scheme. A set of Blood and McConkey agar plates were kept at 1m away from the floor and side walls of the room and exposed to the indoor air for one hour and there after they were incubated at 35°C-37°C for 18-24hours. This process was performed between 10.00-11.00 am and 3.00-4.00 pm daily in the NICU which was partition into four segments. Standard microbiologic methods were employed for the identification of the bacterial isolates. The density of the bacterial contaminants was calculated in colony forming unit per cubic meter (cfu/m³). The mean density of the bacterial contaminants for each of the four sections of the NICU, the total mean density, and the Grand mean density were also calculated. The Grand mean density was compared with the American Industrial Hygienist Association (AIHA) acceptable limit (5 x 10² CFU/m³).
Results: Six bacterial contaminants were isolated namely: Staphylococcus aureus (44.9%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (14.1%), Micrococcus (19.2%), Klebiella pneumonia (10.3%), Bacillus spp. (6.5%), and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (5.1%). The highest and the lowest total mean density of the indoor air contaminants were 4.436 X 10³ CFU/m³ and 2.509 X 10³ CFU/m³ respectively. Highest densities of bacterial air contaminants were obtained during the peak of clinical activities in the morning hours. The Grand mean density was significantly (0.006) above the acceptable AIHA standard.
Conclusion: There is need for a review of the indoor air decontamination measures in the hospital NICU towards making it safe, efficient and to reduce the risk of hospital acquired infections.
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