Environmental surveillance of filamentous fungi in three tertiary care hospitals in Greece

Panagopoulou, P; Filioti, J; Petrikkos, G; Giakouppi, P; Anatoliotaki, M; Farmaki, E; Kanta, A; Apostolakou, H; Avlami, A; Samonis, G; Roilides, E

dc.contributor.author	Panagopoulou, P	en
dc.contributor.author	Filioti, J	en
dc.contributor.author	Petrikkos, G	en
dc.contributor.author	Giakouppi, P	en
dc.contributor.author	Anatoliotaki, M	en
dc.contributor.author	Farmaki, E	en
dc.contributor.author	Kanta, A	en
dc.contributor.author	Apostolakou, H	en
dc.contributor.author	Avlami, A	en
dc.contributor.author	Samonis, G	en
dc.contributor.author	Roilides, E	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T01:52:05Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T01:52:05Z
dc.date.issued	2002	en
dc.identifier.issn	0195-6701	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/26550
dc.subject	filamentous fungi	en
dc.subject	surveillance	en
dc.subject	renovation works	en
dc.subject	hospital air sampling	en
dc.subject	epidemiology	en
dc.subject.classification	Infectious Diseases	en
dc.subject.other	INVASIVE ASPERGILLOSIS	en
dc.subject.other	FUMIGATUS	en
dc.subject.other	WATER	en
dc.subject.other	AIR	en
dc.subject.other	COLONIZATION	en
dc.subject.other	EPIDEMIOLOGY	en
dc.subject.other	INFECTIONS	en
dc.subject.other	RENOVATION	en
dc.subject.other	RECOVERY	en
dc.subject.other	DISEASE	en
dc.title	Environmental surveillance of filamentous fungi in three tertiary care hospitals in Greece	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.language	English	en
heal.publicationDate	2002	en
heal.abstract	The environmental fungal load (FL) of three hospitals was studied in representative regions in Greece (Thessalonika, Northern Greece, Athens, Central Greece and Heraklion, Southern Greece). Air, surfaces and tap water from high-risk departments were sampled monthly during one year. Air FL was [median (range)] 10.6 (1.2-37), 5.5 (3-28.8) and 7.7 (3.1-12.1) cfu/m(3) at Thessalonika, Athens and Heraklion, respectively. Air FL was lower in winter and higher in summer and autumn but seldom above acceptable levels. Aspergillus spp. constituted 70.5% of the filamentous fungi isolated. Aspergillus niger was the most prevalent species in the air of all the hospitals followed by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus. The least contaminated departments were the intensive care units, whilst most contaminated were the solid organ transplantation in Athens and haematology departments in Thessalonika. No correlation between fungal species, season, hospital or departments was observed. Sixty per cent of all surfaces examined yielded filamentous fungi and/or blastomycetes. While no fungi were recovered from water in Thessalonika and Athens, one-third of the samples in Heraklion (apart from those of ICU) yielded multiple fungal species. The higher air FL in Thessalonika and Athens was recorded in departments located close to renovation works. These findings suggest that the air and surface FL fluctuates over the year, is due to varying fungal species, but does not differ greatly among hospitals. The variation among hospitals, as well as the role of hospital water fungal contamination and appropriate measures to eliminate it, need further study. (C) 2002 The Hospital Infection Society.	en
heal.publisher	W B SAUNDERS CO LTD	en
heal.journalName	JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION	en
dc.identifier.isi	ISI:000179172600007	en
dc.identifier.volume	52	en
dc.identifier.issue	3	en
dc.identifier.spage	185	en
dc.identifier.epage	191	en