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Bioaerosol Levels in Indoor Air of Animal House And Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences (eISSN 2636-9346) ORIGINAL ARTICLE Bioaerosol Levels in Indoor Air of Animal House and Hospital Laboratories; A Comparison with Library and Administrative Offices Siti Marwanis Anua1, Nur Fatin Haris1, Nurzafirah Mazlan2 1 Environmental and Occupational Health Programme, School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia 2 Department of Diagnostic and Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Management and Science University, University Drive, Seksyen 13, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia ABSTRACT Introduction: This study reported the concentration of bacterial and fungal bioaerosol at an animal house and hospi- tal laboratories with the aim to compare the concentration levels at library and administrative offices. The bioaerosol levels between mid-shift (afternoon) were also compared to the concentration measured during pre-shift (morning). Methods: The NIOSH 0800 method utilising microbiological air sampler collecting airborne bacterial and fungal samples via impaction technique on Nutrient agar (NA) and Sabouraud Dextrouse agar (SDA) as culture medium, respectively. Sampling was done twice daily; before (pre-shift) and during working (mid-shift) hour. Results: The highest bacteria and fungi concentration was recorded at the animal house with median concentration of 2477 CFU/ m3 (IQR=121-2477) and 791 CFU/m3 (IQR = 379-2081), respectively. Higher-risked workplaces such as animal house and hospital laboratories have significantly higher bioaerosol concentrations compared to control workplaces such as library and administrative offices (p<0.05). Interestingly, there were significantly higher fungi concentra- tions during the pre-shift compared to the mid-shift, for both high risk and control workplaces. Conclusion: Animal research room had exceeded the recommended bioaerosol level of 500 CFU/m3, but all the other sites had concen- trations below the recommended level. Appropriate control measures should be adhered such as practicing hygiene practices and housekeeping to minimise the bioaerosol exposure among the workers and occupants. Keywords: Bioaerosol, Animal house, Hospital laboratory, Library, Administrative office Corresponding Author: biological hazard can lead to several health effects either Siti Marwanis Anua, PhD short term or long term. The symptoms that frequently Email: [email protected] being related to the bioaerosol exposure and poor IAQ Tel: +609 7677827 are allergic, rhinitis, asthma, pneumonia, irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, headaches, fatigue and INTRODUCTION trouble in concentrating (3). Bioaerosol can be referred to particles of biological origin Work task, human activities and equipment at or living microbes that are suspended in air. It is one of workplaces are also among the principal contributing the sources affecting indoor air quality (IAQ) accounted factor of airborne microbial contamination accumulation for 5% of indoor air pollution. Low in temperature, high and transmission (4). Because of the different numbers humidity level and inadequate ventilation are among and types of biological agents that may be present the factors that are affecting the IAQ whereby could due to work task variation, the biological hazards in lead to condensation and growth of biocontaminants. the workplaces may also diverse. It is anticipated that Generally, airborne particulates can carry microbes that the level of bioaerosol exposure at animal houses and can be dispersed in the indoor environment and then hospital laboratories may differ from libraries and finally deposited on surfaces to grow or inhaled into administrative offices due to different nature of the tasks the respiratory system. Hence, increase the opportunity (4). In the animal house, the source of bioaerosol is in wide spreading of airborne diseases that can affect usually the laboratory animals, their furs and secretions, the humans, animals, and plants (1). As for example litters, beddings, feed and cages. Whereas sources of is fungal spores, have shown a substantial tolerance biohazards in hospital is the harbouring of infectious to environmental conditions such as heat (2) thus are material biocontaminants originate from patients’ particularly dangerous to health. The exposure of such sample such as serum, blood, pus, urine, stool, sputum, Mal J Med Health Sci 16(SUPP1): 94-100, Jan 2020 94 Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences (eISSN 2636-9346) saliva, as well as from the contaminated equipment. In levels between workplaces of potentially high risk of addition to that, laboratory procedures may potentially bioaerosol exposure and the control workplaces. An generate bioaerosol that are inhalable into the lungs of initial visit involving a walkthrough survey was carried the medical laboratory technologists and increase their out at the animal house, hospital laboratories, library and risk for occupational infections. Whereas, the microbial administrative offices in gathering work task information matter contamination levels in libraries and office and determining the suitable sampling site. Sample buildings might be influenced by numerous sources size determination was based on the United States such as the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) “Guidance (HVAC) system, humidifiers, water towers, transmission on Choosing a Sampling Design for Environment Data among people through coughing, sneezing and talking. Collection” (11), for the sample calculation of stratified However, there has been of particular concern that sampling method (n=70 for each pre- and mid-shift). the presence of pathogens in hospital libraries may Therefore, three different sampling sites at each location be antimicrobial-resistant (5). Thus contact with these were selected based on the walk through survey’s bacteria may therefore increase the risk of infections anticipation that the workplaces were potentially which resulted to be especially difficult to treat and having high and low microbial exposure. Table I shows potentially lethal. Previous review of literatures has the descriptions of the decided sampling sites at each provided evidences confirming the presence of bacteria location for the comparative stage. and fungi in library air, books, and surfaces (6). As it has Table I: Description of selected sampling sites been suspected to be the sources of disease transmission No Location Description among the public, thus preventative strategies should be implemented to monitor the prevalence of bacteria and Animal House fungi in these environments as well as their associated 1. Research Room Housing laboratory animals health impacts on workers and the public. 2. Experimental Room Procedural room 3. Store Room Storage of bedding An important aspect to define the environmental quality Microbiology & Parasitology Laboratory of air surrounding wide human populations during their 1. Bacteriology Lab. Involve bacterial samples daily work activities are effective prevention and control 2. Mycology Lab. Involve fungal samples of the dissemination of such infectious agents and allergic 3. Media Room Media preparation components that have led to potential undesirable Pathology Laboratory effects on human beings. For example, workers should 1. Routine Lab. Involve tissue grossing use suitable personal protective equipment such as gloves, mask or respirator, laboratory coat and safety 2. Special Test Lab. Immunohistochemistry shoes when there is a risk of exposures to biological 3. Cytopathology Lab. Involve body fluid, cervical smear and spu- hazard. Previous literature has also reviewed the tum cytology problem of controlling bioaerosol disease transmission Library in animal houses, and recommendation on the basis of 1. Level 1 Reading area (less occupants, n=1-2) engineering control design (7). Hence it is important 2. Level 2 Reading area (moderate occupants, n=5) to evaluate the bioaerosol levels in workplaces with 3. Level 3 Reading area (more occupants, n=10-15) high risk of direct exposures to bacterial and fungal Administrative offices contamination compared to control workplaces with a 1. Office #1 More occupants (n=35) need to identify suitable and adequate control measures 2. Office #2 Less occupants (n=8) to prevent such occurrences of adverse health effects. However, no specific threshold limit values (TLV) has Bioaerosol monitoring at the animal house was also been established for the environmental concentration conducted for a descriptive analysis involving five animal of biological agents by the American Conference of research rooms, procedural room, laboratory room, two Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) as there store rooms and an office; monitoring was done once at is no existing information in allowing a scientifically each room in duplicate. Duo SAS sampler (Italy) were acceptable dose–response relationship (8) as cited used to determine the bacterial and fungal counts at the in previous study (9). On the other hand, a study in animal house during this descriptive stage. The flowrate Malaysia (10) has referred to the recommended level of was set between 500 to 1000 litre per minute which 500 colony forming unit (CFU)/m3 based on the ACGIH can be adjusted to calculate the colony forming unit in (8) and World Health Organisation (WHO). cubic metre following the manufacturer’s formula, N = a x 103 (ft)-1, where N = number of microbial CFU/m3 in MATERIALS
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