Opportunistic Pathogenic Fungi from the Dust in Sebha Medical Centre, Libya

Ibrahim Ali Al Tayyar

Authors

Ibrahim Ali Al Tayyar Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Brack, Sebha University, Libya

Keywords:

Dust, Fungi, Sebha, Hospital, Operating Theaters, Intensive Care Units, Neonatal Wards

Abstract

Fungi are one of the major biological components of the dust. Exposure to these fungi and them particles can cause respiratory disorders and fungal mycoses to human. The indoor environments of a hospital can affect on the health of patients, staff, and visitors and increase patient mortality, morbidity, and length of hospital stay and overall costs.

A total 50 duplicated dust samples were collected during the period March - June 2012 from operating theatres (OT), intensive care units (ICU) and neonatal wards (NW) and sending for identification of microbiological agents.

A total of 202 fungal colonies were isolated and identified. 83.7 % were molds and 16.3 % were yeasts. The average concentration per gram of dust in OT, ICU and NW was 65 CFU/g, 89 CFU/g and 48 CFU/g, respectively, with significant difference between the three units (P< 0.001). Diversity of fungal types showed no significant difference between the three units.

From all isolated fungi,the major present types was Aspergillus spp.with 52.47%, Penicillium spp. with 22.27%, Candida spp. with 16.3%, and the other isolated fungal types were present in low percentages.

Candida spp. was isolated during the study, four isolates (11.76 %) were identify as Candida albicans (Germ tube test positive), while 30 isolates (88.24 %) were Candida non-albicans spp. from total isolated yeast.

Aspergillus, Penicillium, Candida, Bipolaris, Graphium, Curvularia, Fusarium, Epicoccu and Exophilia were identified in all studied units with different percent.

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