Fungal surveillance of an open haematology ward

Air sampling and surveillance cultures fur fungi were performed in a Scotti sh general haematology ward over a five-month period in 1997. The mean tota l fungal count from the air sampling appeared to be correlated with the num ber of patients colonized by Aspergillus. The most commonly isolated specie s were Aspergillus versicolor, A. fumigatus and A. niger. Rooms with portab le air filtration units had significantly lower total fungal counts than th e others. Swabs were taken from 70 patients (mean age 62 years); 114 of the 563 cultures (20.2%) were positive. The most commonly isolated species wer e A. fumigatus, Candida albicans, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis. Samples taken from the tongue and perineum showed colonization more often than thos e taken from the nostrils. Almost half the patients ( 11.4%) were colonized on, or within seven days of, admission; 11.4% became colonized whilst on t he unit. One patient developed fatal aspergillosis. We conclude that coloni zation or high air-borne spore concentrations are not necessarily predictiv e of fungal infection but may prompt early treatment or more aggressive pro phylaxis of potentially fatal invasive infections. (C) 2000 The Hospital In fection Society.