Appraisal of Microbial Indoor Air Quality in Applied Medical Sciences Collage
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt20251152Keywords:
Indoor, Air quality, Bacteria, Fungi, Indoor-to-outdoor ratio, Identification, Microscopic, MacroscopicAbstract
Introduction: Human activities like talking, sneezing, coughing, walking, washing, and toilet use contribute to an increased airborne microbiological load. The air is full of various microorganisms, which act as a medium for their transmission or dissemination. This study aimed to determine the types and concentrations of bacterial and fungal aerosols, evaluate the indoor air quality, and determine the factors responsible for their presence in the College of Applied Medical Sciences building, PSAU, KSA. Methods: Indoor microbial loads were evaluated by collecting 84 samples from different localities using the settle plate method. Results: The average indoor microbiological air ranges from 0 to 150.7 and 13.1 to 242.5 CFU per m3 for fungi and bacteria, respectively. In the indoor-to-outdoor ratio, the results recorded 0.033 to 0.067 and 0.022 to 0.049 for fungi and bacteria, respectively. A total of 282 bacteria were identified, 2 isolates belonging to Gram-positive cocci (Kocuria rhizophila 3.3%, and Staphylococcus epidermidis 15%), Gram-positive cocci (14%), and Gram-positive rod belonging to Bacillus spp. (39%). One isolate was identified as Sphingomonas paucimobilis (0.7%). Fungal indoor isolates (n=48) were isolated; 46 isolates were filamentous fungi identified as 9(18.8%) Aspergillus spp. (A. niger, A. terreus, A. ochraceus, and other A. spp.), 9(18.8%) Alternaria sp. 8(16.7%) Penicillium spp., 3(6.3%) Fusarium spp., 2(4.2%) Rhizopus spp., 2(4.2%) Cladosporium spp., 1(2.1%) Drechslera sp., and 12(25%) different unknown species, in addition to two yeast isolates. Conclusions: The building is safe and suitable for the current number of students, and the building's design is in the same condition.
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