. 2022 Dec;8(4):1-8.

doi: 10.32598/CMM.2023.1370.

Indoor environment assessment of special wards of educational hospitals for the detection of fungal contamination sources: A multi-center study (2019-2021)

Mona Ghazanfari^{1

2}, Jamshid Yazdani Charati³, Nasser Keikha⁴, Mahdi Kholoujini⁵, Firoozeh Kermani², Yaser Nasirzadeh², Behrad Roohi², Mohammad Hassan Minooeianhaghighi⁶, Bahram Salari², Seyed Ali Jeddi⁷, Mojtaba Didehdar⁸, Azar Shokri⁹, Sekhavat Ameri Seyahooei^{1

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18}, Hedieh Hatamipour², Mahdi Abastabar^{1

2}, Iman Haghani^{1

2}, Mohammad T Hedayati^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Invasive Fungi Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
² Department of Medical Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
³ Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
⁴ Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Cellular and Molecular Sciences in Infectious Diseases, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
⁵ Beheshti Hospital, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
⁶ Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
⁷ Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Sciences, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran.
⁸ Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
⁹ Vector-Borne Diseases Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
¹⁰ 0Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
¹¹ 1Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
¹² 2Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
¹³ 3Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
¹⁴ 4Department of Mycology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
¹⁵ 5Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran.
¹⁶ 6Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Sirjan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Sirjan, Iran.
¹⁷ 7Shohada Hospital-Gonbad, Golestan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Gorgan, Iran.
¹⁸ 8Student Research Committee Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

PMID: 37736609
PMCID: PMC10509496
DOI: 10.32598/CMM.2023.1370

Indoor environment assessment of special wards of educational hospitals for the detection of fungal contamination sources: A multi-center study (2019-2021)

Mona Ghazanfari et al. Curr Med Mycol. 2022 Dec.

. 2022 Dec;8(4):1-8.

doi: 10.32598/CMM.2023.1370.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Invasive Fungi Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
² Department of Medical Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
³ Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
⁴ Infectious Disease and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Cellular and Molecular Sciences in Infectious Diseases, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
⁵ Beheshti Hospital, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
⁶ Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Research Center, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.
⁷ Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Sciences, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran.
⁸ Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
⁹ Vector-Borne Diseases Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
¹⁰ 0Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Hormozgan Health Institute, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
¹¹ 1Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
¹² 2Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
¹³ 3Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
¹⁴ 4Department of Mycology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
¹⁵ 5Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Dezful, Iran.
¹⁶ 6Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Sirjan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Sirjan, Iran.
¹⁷ 7Shohada Hospital-Gonbad, Golestan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Gorgan, Iran.
¹⁸ 8Student Research Committee Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

PMID: 37736609
PMCID: PMC10509496
DOI: 10.32598/CMM.2023.1370

Abstract

Background and purpose: The hospital environment was reported as a real habitat for different microorganisms, especially mold fungi. On the other hand, these opportunistic fungi were considered hospital-acquired mold infections in patients with weak immune status. Therefore, this multi-center study aimed to evaluate 23 hospitals in 18 provinces of Iran for fungal contamination sources.

Materials and methods: In total, 43 opened Petri plates and 213 surface samples were collected throughout different wards of 23 hospitals. All collected samples were inoculated into Sabouraud Dextrose Agar containing Chloramphenicol (SC), and the plates were then incubated at 27-30ºC for 7-14 days.

Results: A total of 210 fungal colonies from equipment (162, 77.1%) and air (48, 22.9%) were identified. The most predominant isolated genus was Aspergillus (47.5%), followed by Rhizopus (14.2%), Mucor (11.7%), and Cladosporium (9.2%). Aspergillus (39.5%), Cladosporium (16.6%), as well as Penicillium and Sterile hyphae (10.4% each), were the most isolates from the air samples. Moreover, intensive care units (38.5%) and operating rooms (21.9%) had the highest number of isolated fungal colonies. Out of 256 collected samples from equipment and air, 163 (63.7%) were positive for fungal growth. The rate of fungal contamination in instrument and air samples was 128/213 (60.1%) and 35/43 (81.2%), respectively. Among the isolated species of Aspergillus, A. flavus complex (38/96, 39.6%), A. niger complex (31/96, 32.3%), and A. fumigatus complex (15/96, 15.6%) were the commonest species.

Conclusion: According to our findings, in addition to air, equipment and instrument should be considered among the significant sources of fungal contamination in the indoor environment of hospitals.

Keywords: Airborne fungi; Equipment; Hospital; Indoor air; Sources of fungal contamination.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Fungal contamination rates in the hospitals located in different provinces of Iran

**Figure 2**
Distribution of different species of *Aspergillus* in the studied hospitals

**Figure 3**
Distribution of different species of *Aspergillus* in the studied hospitals based on the collected samples from different hospital wards

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Indoor environment assessment of special wards of educational hospitals for the detection of fungal contamination sources: A multi-center study (2019-2021)

Affiliations

Indoor environment assessment of special wards of educational hospitals for the detection of fungal contamination sources: A multi-center study (2019-2021)

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Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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