Evaluation of the Levels and Quality of Microbial Contamination in Medical Emergency Departments in Comparison to Other Workplaces.

Work in Hospital Emergency Departments (HEDs) exposes both the emergency ward staff and patients to infectious and in other way harmful biological agents. The results of this study shows the presence of pathogenic bacteria isolated by three different methods. It revealed 9.8% of pathogens detected by imprint method, 10.5% of pathogens by swabbing method, 17.6% and 22% in HEDs corridors and rooms, respectively, by air sampling method. In control workplaces (offices) pathogenic bacteria reached the level of 6.5% and 14.7% by imprint method and swabbing, respectively. The relatively low level of contamination by bacteria in HEDs may depend on the effectiveness of Standard Protective Precautions in the studied hospitals.

Pollution of mycological surfaces in hospital emergency departments correlates positively with blood NKT CD3(+) 16(+) 56(+) and negatively with CD4(+) cell levels of their staff.

The aim of the present study was the assessment of the putative influence of yeast and filamentous fungi in healthcare and control (office) workplaces (10 of each kind) on immune system competence measured by NK (natural killer), CD4(+), and NKT (natural killer T lymphocyte) cell levels in the blood of the personnel employed at these workplaces. Imprints from floors and walls were collected in winter. The blood was taken in spring the following year, from 40 men, 26 to 53 years old, healthcare workers of hospital emergency departments (HED), who had been working for at least five years in their current positions, and from 36 corresponding controls, working in control offices. Evaluation of blood leukocyte subpopulations was done by flow cytometry. The qualitative analysis of the surface samples revealed a prevalence of strains belonging to Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. genus. There was no statistically significant difference between the level of NKT; however, the percentage of NK cells was lower in the blood of HED workers than in the blood of offices personnel. Spearman analysis revealed the existence of positive correlation (r = 0.4677, p = 0.002) between the total CFU/25 cm(2) obtained by imprinting method from walls and floors of HED and the percentage of NKT (CD3(+)16(+)56(+)) lymphocytes collected from the blood of their personnel, and negative correlation (r = -0. 3688, p = 0.019) between this parameter of fungal pollution and the percentage of CD4(+) lymphocytes in the blood of HED staff. No other correlations were found.

The influence of the workplace-related biological agents on the immune systems of emergency medical personnel.

Emergency medical services workers' (EMSWs) acute exposures to many biological agents are frequent and well recognised in their workplaces, as well as occupational diseases resulting from some of these exposures. At the same time, there is only scant information on the adverse effects of chronic exposure to biological hazard factors on the immune systems of EMSWs. In the Polish legislation system, the Ordinance of the Minister of Health about harmful biological agents in the workplace and ways of protecting workers from exposure to those agents is an implement of Directive 2000/54/EC, which deals thoroughly with those issues in European Union Countries. Emergency medical services workers play an essential role as primary providers of pre-hospital emergency medical care, and they are part of the integral components of disaster response. Traumatic experiences can affect emergency medical staff immune systems negatively, by functioning as a chronic stressor. Conscious use of biological agents in workplaces such as microbial laboratories can be easily controlled and monitored. However, risk assessment is more difficult for workers when they are exposed unintentionally to biological agents. Exposure to bio-aerosols is considered especially harmful. This review summarises available information about biological risk factors for emergency medical services workers, and some information about the influence of these factors on their immune systems.

Negative correlation between mycological surfaces pollution in hospital emergency departments and blood monocytes phagocytosis of healthcare workers.

The aim of the present study was to find a possible relationship between the presence of yeast and filamentous fungi in hospital emergency departments and the activity levels of blood granulocytes and monocytes in emergency personnel. The study of mycological pollution was conducted in winter; the samples were collected from 10 Warsaw hospitals emergency departments (HE D) and in 10 control locations (office spaces) and included air samples and swabbing of floor and walls. The blood for immunological investigation was taken in spring, from 40 men, 26 to 53 years old, healthcare workers of these departments, who have been working for at least 5 years in their current positions, and from 36 corresponding controls, working in control offices. Evaluation of blood leukocyte subpopulations was done by hematological analyzer and cytometry analysis and monocyte and granulocyte phagocytosis by Phagotest. There were no significant differences in the level of mycological contamination between the test and control places. The qualitative analysis of the surfaces and air samples revealed a prevalence of strains belonging to Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. genus. Statistical analysis revealed the existence of negative correlation between the number of phagocytizing blood monocytes and fungi spores content on floor and wall surfaces in hospital emergency departments (r = -0.3282, p < 0.05 and positive correlation between the number of phagocytizing monocytes in the blood of office workers and fungi pollution of control offices (r = 0.4421, p < 0.01).

Microbiological analysis of bioaerosols collected from Hospital Emergency Departments and ambulances.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The goal of the study was a microbiological, qualitative and quantitative analysis of bioaerosol at the workplace of medical personnel (Health Emergency Departments (HEDs), ambulances), and comparative administration offices with an expected neutral occupational exposure to biological agents measured with individual Button Sampler. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Personal sampling was performed with Button Sampler instrument loaded with gelatine filters in 10 HEDs, in 9 ambulances and in 9 offices to assess the occupational biological agents' exposure in air. Sampling was conducted from March until April 2016. Samples were quantitatively assessed for viable and total number of bacteria and fungi. Routine procedures for microbiological diagnostics were implemented. Data were analysed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney statistical tests with α=0.05. P value less than 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: At the workplaces assessed, the concentrations of viable microorganisms in HEDs were 1.3×102 - 4.2×103 CFU/m3 for bacteria, 3.4×100 - 8.1×101 CFU/m3 for fungi; in ambulances 1.3×102 - 1.4×103 CFU/m3 (bacteria), 6.7×100 - 6.5×102 CFU/m3 (fungi) and in offices 4.2×101 - 5.0×103 CFU/m3 (bacteria), 0 - 7.9×102 CFU/m3(fungi). In outdoor air, the number of microorganisms reached the level: 1.0×102 - 5.9×102 CFU/m3 for bacteria and 1.5×102 - 8.2×102 CFU/m3 for fungi. The predominant isolated bacteria were Gram-positive cocci. The prevalent fungi species belonged to the genus Aspergillus and Penicillium. CONCLUSIONS: The quantitative assessment of examined indoor air was similar to control outdoor air, and were relatively low. The level of microbiological contamination did not exceed 5×103 CFU/m3 which is recommended as an admissible level in public spaces in Poland.

Identification and characteristics of biological agents in work environment of medical emergency services in selected ambulances.

OBJECTIVES: Assessment of microbial air quality and surface contamination in ambulances and administration offices as a control place without occupational exposure to biological agents; based on quantitative and qualitative analysis of bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi found in collected samples. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The sampling was done by wet cyclone technology using the Coriolis recon apparatus, imprint and swab methods, respectively. In total, 280 samples from 28 ambulances and 10 offices in Warszawa were tested. Data was analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk normality test, Kruskal-Wallis test with α = 0.05. P value ≤ 0.05 was considered as significant. RESULTS: The levels of air contamination were from 0 to 2.3×101 colony-forming unit (CFU)/m3 for bacteria and for yeast and filamentous fungi were from 0 to 1.8×101 CFU/m3. The assessment of office space air samples has shown the following numbers of microorganisms: bacteria from 3.0×101 to 4.2×101 CFU/m3 and yeast and filamentous fungi from 0 to 1.9×101 CFU/m3. For surface contamination the mean bacterial count in ambulances has been between 1.0×101 and 1.3×102 CFU/25 cm2 and in offices - between 1.1×101 and 8.5×101 CFU/25 cm2. Mean fungal count has reached the level from 2.8×100 to 4.2×101 CFU/25 cm2 in ambulances and 1.3×101 to 5.8×101 CFU/25 cm2 in offices. The qualitative analysis has revealed the presence of Acinetobacter spp. (surfaces), coagulase - negative Staphylococci (air and surfaces), Aspergillus and Penicillium genera (air and surfaces). CONCLUSIONS: The study has revealed a satisfactory microbiological quantity of analyzed air and surface samples in both study and control environments. However, the presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms in the air and on surfaces in ambulances may endanger the medical emergency staff and patients with infection. Disinfection and cleaning techniques therefore should be constantly developed and implemented. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(4):617-627.

Diversity of influenza-like illness etiology in Polish Armed Forces in influenza epidemic season.

The aim of this study was to conduct an epidemiological and laboratory surveillance of Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI) in Polish Armed Forces, civilian military personnel and their families in 2011/2012 epidemic season, under the United States Department of Defense-Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (DoD-GEIS). ILI incidence data were analyzed in relation to age, gender, patient category as well as pathogen patterns. Multiple viral, bacterial and viral-bacterial co-infections were identified. Nose and throat swabs of active duty soldiers in the homeland country and in the NATO peacekeeping forces KFOR (Kosovo Force), as well as members of their families were tested for the presence of viral and bacterial pathogens. From October 2011 to May 2012, 416 specimens from ILI symptoms patients were collected and analyzed for the presence of viral and bacterial pathogens. Among viruses, coronavirus was the most commonly detected. In the case of bacterial infections, the most common pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus.