FUNGAL BIODIVERSITY OF AIR IN HOSPITALS IN THE CITY OF FORTALEZA, CEARÁ, BRAZIL

Objectives: To monitor the environment in specific areas of three tertiary hospitals in Fortaleza - CE, seeking to report the presence of potentially pathogenic fungi for patients and staff, contributing to a better risk assessment in these hospitals. Methods: In the period from December, 2005 to November, 2006, air samples from three public hospitals were collected monthly, which resulted in 180 air samples originated in 15 hospitals. The biological specimens were collected using the passive method of sedimentation, with exposure of Petri dishes containing Sabouraud agar supplemented with antibiotic. The dishes were incubated for 10 days (28°C) and all fungal colonies developed were subsequently identified. Results: 10,608 colonies were isolated, belonging to 16 genera, the most common being Aspergillus, Penicillium, Candida, Curvularia and Trichoderma. There were no statistically significant relationships between the total number of colonies and the characteristics of each environment studied, except for three of those. Conclusion: The difference in fungal concentrations in the air of these hospitals is possibly more related to instability of human activities, such as overpopulated settings and construction works, than to climatic variations observed in the period. Objetivos: Monitorar o ambiente em areas especificas de tres hospitais terciarios da cidade de Fortaleza ? CE, buscando relatar a presenca de fungos potencialmente patogenicos para pacientes e funcionarios, contribuindo para uma melhor avaliacao de riscos nesses hospitais. Metodos: No periodo de dezembro/2005 a novembro/2006, foram realizadas coletas mensais de amostras do ar de tres hospitais publicos, que resultaram em 180 amostras de ar oriundas de 15 ambientes hospitalares. Os especimes biologicos foram coletados atraves do metodo da sedimentacao passiva, com exposicoes de placas de Petri, contendo agar Sabouraud, suplementado com antibiotico. As placas foram incubadas por 10 dias (28°C), com a posterior identificacao de todas as colonias fungicas desenvolvidas. Resultados: Isolaram-se 10.608 colonias, pertencentes a 16 generos, sendo os mais frequentes Aspergillus, Penicillium, Candida, Curvularia e Trichoderma. Nao se observaram relacoes estatisticamente significativas entre o numero total de colonias e as caracteristicas de cada ambiente analisado, com excecao de tres ambientes. Conclusao: A diferenca na concentracao fungica do ar desses hospitais possivelmente esta mais relacionada com desequilibrios das atividades humanas, tais como ambientes superpovoados e obras de construcao, do que com as variacoes climaticas observadas no periodo em analise.