Research on Bioaerosol Exposure and Health Effects in Healthcare Settings
Date Issued
2008
Date
2008
Author(s)
Liu, Yi-Fan
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the relationship between workers’ health and their exposure to bioaerosol in hospital environment. Hospital workers’ health situation is obtained from questionnaire. Data of indoor quality monitored include biological factors such as fungi and bacteria, physical factors (wind velocity, wind volume, temperature, relative humidity and surface moisture ), chemical factors (particulate matter, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, total volatile organic compound, formaldehyde) and environment management and characteristics of buildings (age of building, record of flood and restoration, ventilation types, record of ventilation equipments breakdown and cleaning, and density of people, potted plants).he environment monitoring result shows that the measured concentrations of fungi and bacteria accords with the suggested figure by Taiwan but exceeds other nations in measured figure contrarily. Secondary, among different fungal flora , the indoor/ outdoor concentration of Aspergillus sp. (total and respiratory concentrations）, Candida (respiratory concentration）, Paecilomyces (total and respiratory concentrations), Penicillium（total and respiratory/non-respiratory concentrations）, Scytalidium（total and respiratory concentrations） and Trichophyton (respiratory concentration) is greater than 1. This demonstrates that the above fungi possibly have potential indoor latent source. Concentration of respiratory Trichophyton indoors exceeds in concentrations outdoors significantly (p=0.0058). As to physical factors, the average temperature (23.06~23.14 ℃) in hospital accords with the suggested figure by Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and England； the relative humidity (55.80~63.43 %) accords with the suggested figure by Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and Germany. Yet the indoor PM10 mass concentration (14.84~30.42 μg/m3) is lower than the suggested figure by Hong Kong and Singapore. Finally, as to chemical factors, 8-hour average concentration of carbon dioxide (690.30~945.24 ppm) exceeds the suggested figure in Taiwan (600 ppm). The average concentration of carbon monoxide and formaldehyde are, respectively, 6.55 ppm and 0.25 ppm which exceed the suggested figure in Taiwan (2 ppm；0.1 ppm ). Average concentration of total votatile organic compound (228.67~619.37 ppb) is lower than the suggested figure in Taiwan (3000 ppb).he study analyzes the environmental factors which affects concentrations of fungi and bacteria in air by using multiple regression model. We found that concentration of non-respiratory Cladosporium increased remarkably when the wind velocity is lower and surface moisture is higher on one hand, total concentration of Cladosporium increased remarkably when the wind velocity is lower and relative humidity is higher, on the other. Higher relative humidity and older building contribute to the significant increase of total concentration of Penicillium. Also, higher relative humidity and surface moisture contribute to the significant increase of concentration of non-respiratory humid fungi (Acremonium, Aspergillus versicolor, Cladosporium and Stachybotrys). Lower wind velocity and bigger dampness area contribute to the increase of concentration of non-respiratory Gram positive bacteria.e analyzed those affecting health factors by multiple regression model and have found a significant relationship between age of building, A. versicolor and many respiratory symptoms and diseases, which is saying, these two factors affects hospital workers most markedly. Generally speaking, fungi and the age of building have greater effect on hospital workers’ health than bacteria, physical and chemical factors do.
Subjects
Biological factor
Physical factor
Chemical factor
environment management and characteristics of buildings
healthcare settings
health effects
Type
thesis
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