Objectives: Evidence that contaminated surfaces contribute to the transmission of hospital pathogens comes from studies modeling transmission routes, microbiologic studies, observational epidemiologic studies, intervention studies, and outbreak reports. This Study was conducted to confirm the status of airborne microbe, surface microbe, and hand hygiene in military hospitals.
Methods: This study was measure the concentrations of total culturable bacteria (TCB) and to identity the bacteria in 2i identical areas in 5 military hospitals. The surface microbe were collected from apporoimately 40 identical areas using the rodac plate methods. Hand microbe was collected from hospital workers using the contact culture method.
Results: Concentrations of airborne bacteria was 76 and 434 CFU/m3 in the hospitals. To find, the level of airborne microbes was significantly highest in the main looby. Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Bacillus spp, and Pseudomonas spp. were identified as surface flora. There were no difference in the species of airborne microbe and surface microbe between hospitals. Staphylococcus was identified in the hand and did not show antibiotic resistance.
Conclusions: The indoor air quality is associated with respiratory disease and allergic disease, and nosocomial infection. This study should be used to monitor microbial contamination in the hospital environment and to eliminate the risk factors.