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Shrreya Agarawal

Bio: Shrreya Agarawal is an academic researcher from University College of Medical Sciences. The author has contributed to research in topics: Sampling (statistics). The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 7 citations.

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TL;DR: It is promising to conclude that both methods can be used for universal scrutinising of air biocontamination by comparing active and passive air sampling by demonstrating comparability of results obtained by the two different sampling techniques at two sampling moments.
Abstract: Context: The microbial quality of air in the operation theatres (OTs) is a parameter which appreciably controls the healthcare-associated infections. However, there is currently no international consensus on the most suitable method to be used for air sampling or any set policy on how to achieve the total viable count (TVC) values although the optimum goals have been set. Aims: This study aims to evaluate the microbial air quality in different OTs of our tertiary care hospital at rest and inoperational by comparing active and passive air sampling. Settings and Design: The Department of Microbiology and all the OT rooms of UCMS and GTB Hospital, Delhi. There are 18 OT rooms. This was a cross-sectional, comparative study. Subjects and Methods: Five at rest samples (before the start of operation) and five inoperational samples (during operation) were collected from each of the 18 OTs by both active (using air sampler) and passive (gravity settle plate technique as per the 1/1/1 scheme) methods using five percent sheep blood agar in 9 cm petri plates. The number of personnel present inoperational was recorded, and the number of colony forming units on the petri dish was counted after incubation and compared. Statistical Analysis Used: As the data followed a non-normal distribution, non-parametric tests were applied. Wilcoxon signed rank test, Spearman's correlation coefficient, Simple linear regression and Independent sample t-test. Results: The total bioburden in the OTs exceeded the maximum acceptable limit value during both moments of sampling. There was a significant positive correlation in the TVC values obtained by active and passive sampling methods in the two moments. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates a comparability of results obtained by the two different sampling techniques at two sampling moments. However, authentication of this result necessitates additional studies. In the interim, it is promising to conclude that both methods can be used for universal scrutinising of air biocontamination.

8 citations


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TL;DR: More caution is necessary to carefully disinfect the operating theatres at Regional referral settings and similar tertiary health care centres with more emphasis on obstetrics and gynecology theatres.
Abstract: Microbial contamination of hospital environment, especially in operating theatres (OT) and other specialized units has greatly contributed to continuous and multiple exposure to nosocomial infections by patients and the public We purposed to assess microbial contamination of operating theatres and antibacterial sensitivity pattern of bacteria isolated from theatres of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital, Eastern Uganda We employed a laboratory based cross-sectional study design Swabbing of different surfaces and settle plate establishment in 4 various operating theatres was carried out A total of 109 samples were collected, 31 air samples and 78 swabs from four operating theatres Samples were collected in the mornings after disinfection prior to start of daily operations Antibacterial sensitivity testing of isolated bacterial pathogens was performed by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method following standard operating procedure Colony counts for the settle plates were carried out using a colony counter All the four theatres had their mean colony counts exceeding the acceptable limit of 5 cfu/dm2/h Gynaecology theatre had up to 261 cfu/dm2/h and Ophthalmology operating theatre had approximately 43 cfu/dm2/h A total of 14 different organisms were isolated with Pseudomonas spp [239%]; Bacillus spp [175%] and Aspergillus spp [158%] being the most common contaminants respectively Other isolates included Enterococcus spp, Rhizopus spp and Coagulate Negative Staphylococcus isolates especially from settle plates Most bacterial isolates showed considerable resistance to antibacterial agents Pseudomonas spp was resistant to chloramphenicol (536%) and cotrimoxazole (571%) Most of the bacterial pathogens were sensitive to imipenem [833%] There is moderate contamination of operating theatres of Mbale Regional Referral Hospital Common organisms were Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Aspergillus spps Resistance was observed against chloramphenicol and cotrimoxazole More caution is necessary to carefully disinfect the operating theatres at Regional referral settings and similar tertiary health care centres with more emphasis on obstetrics and gynecology theatres Diagnosis and care of patients at such clinical settings should consider the possibility of antibiotic resistance

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Evaluating the diversity and density of bacteria and fungi in the air of Shohadaye Mehrab Hospital in Yazd City, Iran found that even low concentration of fungi/bacteria in air can be considered as a risk factor that facilitates transmission of the infectious agents in the hospital.
Abstract: Bioaerosols play an important role in incidence of infections in indoor and outdoor air of hospitals. Microorganisms play a critical role in the health of human beings and they are found everywhere in the environment, including different wards of a hospital. So, quantitative and qualitative analysis of microorganisms is highly important in hospital air. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity and density of bacteria and fungi in the air of Shohadaye Mehrab Hospital in Yazd City, Iran. Sampling was performed using a single-stage pump (Quick Take30) at a flow rate of 28.3 l per minute for five minutes. As a result, 288 indoor and outdoor hospital air samples were collected. Numbers and types of bacterial and fungal colonies were identified using colony morphology, gram staining, and standard microbial tests. Chi-square test, PCA and linear mixed model were run by SPSS version 24.0 for data analysis. The highest bacterial contaminations were found in the burns ward (294 CFU/m3), operating theater (147 CFU/m3), and emergency department (124 CFU/m3), respectively. Fungal contamination was higher in the derm ward (110 CFU/m3) than other sampling sites. The dominant genus of gram-positive bacteria was Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 60, 62.5%) and the dominant genus of gram-negative bacteria was Citrobacter freundi (n = 11, 11.5%). The most fungal gens isolated from the hospital air samples were Penicillium (n = 73, 76%), Alternaria (n = 51, 53.1%), Aspergillus niger (n = 40, 41.7%), and Aspergillus flavus (n = 34, 35.4%), respectively. Considering that the burn wounds represent a susceptible site for opportunistic microorganisms, even low concentration of fungi/bacteria in air can be considered as a risk factor that facilitates transmission of the infectious agents in the hospital. Therefore, control measures should be taken to reduce the infection hazard in health staff and patients. These measures include ensuring effective ventilation, cleaning and decontaminating surfaces and equipment, restricting the personnel and patient companions’ movement across the wards.

8 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used depth registration sensing technology to identify the activities of surgical staff and investigate their effect on the distribution of airborne micro-organism contamination in operating rooms.

8 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: There is a high hazard for the occurrence of surgical site infections because of the significant level of pollution observed in the study, and the need for proper cleaning, scrubbing techniques, improved disinfection and sterilization methods and regular fumigation of operation theatres to prevent the cause of infection and maintain a safe environment.
Abstract: .. The study aims to recognize bacterial colonization of surfaces and equipment’s in operation theaters and to determine the bacteriological contamination of air in OTs in Gojra. Objectives: To identify the bacteriological colonization of surfaces, inanimate objects, air, in the operation room facilities and antibiotic susceptibility profile of the isolates at tehsil Gojra hospitals. Study Design: One Group Pre and Post-experimental study. Settings: Department of Surgery THQ Hospital Gojra. Period: 1st January 2019 to 31st July 2019. Material & Methods: Operation theatres sampled and left vacant for more than one-hour before sampling. Settle pate method used for sampling of air by using agar plates and swab method for sampling of surfaces and equipment. Bacterial isolates identified by colony morphology. Gram Staining, Antibiotic Susceptibility testing done by disc diffusion technique. Conclusion: There is a high hazard for the occurrence of surgical site infections because of the significant level of pollution observed in our study. The results emphasize the need for proper cleaning, scrubbing techniques, improved disinfection and sterilization methods and regular fumigation of operation theatres to prevent the cause of infection and maintain a safe environment for the patients and health care professionals.

4 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper , a systematic screening process based on the PRISMA protocol was followed to extract relevant articles and 38 studies were included in the final review covering a period from 2015 to 2022.
Abstract: PurposeExposure to poor indoor air in refurbished buildings is a matter of health concern due to the growing concentrations of various contaminants as a result of building airtightness without amendment of ventilation, or the use of building materials such as glue, paint, thinner and varnishes. Recent studies have been conducted to measure indoor air pollutants and assess the health risks affecting the quality of life, productivity and well-being of human beings. However, limited review studies have been recently conducted to provide an overview of the state of knowledge. This study aims to conduct a scoping review of indoor air quality (IAQ) in the context of refurbished or energy-retrofitted buildings.Design/methodology/approachA systematic screening process based on the PRISMA protocol was followed to extract relevant articles. Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar and PubMed were searched using customised search formulas. Among 276 potentially relevant records, 38 studies were included in the final review covering a period from 2015 to 2022.FindingsResearchers mapped out the measured compounds in the selected studies and found that carbon dioxide (CO2) (11%) and total volatile organic compounds (11%) were among the most commonly measured contaminants. Two trends of research were found including (1) the impact of ventilative properties on IAQ and (2) the impact of introducing building materials on IAQ.Originality/valueThe contribution of this study lies in summarising evidence on IAQ measurements in refurbished buildings, discussing recent advancements, revealing significant gaps and limitations, identifying the trends of research and drawing conclusions regarding future research directions on the topic.