Reduced fungal contamination of the indoor environment with the Plasmair™ system (Airinspace)

SummaryAspergillus spp. and other moulds cause life-threatening opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Indoor contamination and construction work that liberate fungal spores are a major source of nosocomial aspergillosis. Dijon hospital is a tertiary care institution in northeast France undergoing construction work beside high-risk clinical units. To determine the impact of this activity, a surveillance programme was implemented one year before building work began in order to establish baseline levels of contamination. Air and surface fungal contamination in adult and paediatric haematology units were prospectively examined following use, or not, of a new air-treatment system with mobile Plasmair™ units (Airinspace). There were significant reductions in overall fungal contamination for the Plasmair™ treated rooms for air and surface samples in both clinical units. Plasmair™ treatment also significantly reduced A. fumigatus in the air. These data suggest that Plasmair™ units may provide an efficient method of reducing indoor fungal contamination in hospitals.