Airborne Aspergillus contamination during hospital construction works: Efficacy of protective measures
published online 18 November 2009. Corrected Proof
Background
The Dijon University Hospital in Dijon, France is involved in a large construction program with heavy truck traffic and a very dusty environment. This study aimed to assess the impact of outdoor hospital construction work on Aspergillus air contamination in the immediate environment of patients at high risk for aspergillosis in the presence of protective measures.
Methods
Prospective air and surface sampling (n=1301) was performed in 3 hospital units over a 30-month period. Generalized estimating equations were used to test the relationship between Aspergillus air contamination and the different variables (construction period, air treatment system, and surface contamination).
Results
Positivity rates of Aspergillus spp varied from 21.1% before construction work to 16.9% during work for air samples (P=.07), and the associated mean fungal load varied from 1.21 colony-forming units (CFU)/m3 to 0.64 CFU/m3 (P=.04). In multivariate analysis, only the use of an air treatment system was associated with decreased airborne Aspergillus contamination (P < .0001). No significant difference was observed between the presence or absence of construction work and the proportion of airborne Aspergillus contamination (P=.91) or the Aspergillus fungal load (P=.10).
Conclusions
No influence of hospital construction work on airborne Aspergillus contamination was demonstrated when protective measures were taken, including reinforcement of the importance of environmental cleaning.
aHospital Hygiene and Epidemiology Unit, Hôpital du Bocage, Dijon, France
bParasitology and Mycology Laboratory, Hôpital du Bocage, Dijon Cedex, France
cClinical Hematology Unit, Hôpital d'Enfants, Dijon Cedex, France
dInteractions Mucosa - Transmissible Agents Laboratory, Faculté de Médecine, Dijon Cedex, France
eInfectious Diseases Department, Hôpital d'Enfants, Dijon Cedex, France
fPaediatric Onco-haematology Unit, Hôpital d'Enfants, Dijon Cedex, France
Address correspondence to Dr Isabelle Fournel, Hospital Hygiene and Epidemiology Unit, Hôpital du Bocage, BP 77908, 21079 Dijon Cedex, France.
Presented in part at the 19th Annual Meeting of the French Society for Hospital Hygiene, Paris, June 5–6, 2008.
This work was supported by Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique 2004 (PHRC Régional, Délégation de la recherche clinique de Bourgogne, Dijon, France).
ABSTRACT
=