Hathway, EA, Noakes, CJ, Fletcher, LA et al. (3 more authors) (2013) The role of nursing activities on the bioaerosol production in hospital wards. Indoor and Built Environment, 22 (2). 410 - 421. ISSN 1420-326X
Abstract
Transport of infectious particles through the air has the potential to contaminate the indoor environment creating reservoirs of infectious material on surfaces. There is evidence that typical nursing activities can release large quantities of bacteria including MRSA into the hospital air, which may lead to surface contamination thereby increasing opportunities for further spread. Air sampling studies were conducted over a period of 5 days on a four-bed bay in a respiratory ward. Results showed that sampled bioaerosols are more likely to be carried on large particles >5 µm in diameter, and that the relationship between bioaerosols and particle size varies when respiratory interventions are in use. Increased activity in the hospital bay was shown to correlate to increased concentrations of bioaerosols whereas sedentary visitors did not. In particular, the occurrence of patient washing that occurred behind closed curtains correlated to large values of bioaerosol release. Floor cleaning generated large number of particles, but with no significant increase in sampled bioaerosols. This provides valuable information for understanding when and where bioaerosols are released on a hospital ward which may inform future research into physical segregation of patients and the definition of bioaerosol sources in computer simulations.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Editors: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2011, Sage Publications. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Indoor and Built Environment. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Civil Engineering (Leeds) > Inst for Pathogen Control Engineering (Leeds) The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Engineering (Sheffield) > Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 11 Feb 2014 11:40 |
Last Modified: | 15 Sep 2014 02:01 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1420326X11428088 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Sage publications |
Identification Number: | 10.1177/1420326X11428088 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:77745 |