Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols in hospital wards with different ventilation conditions

Introduction: Bioaerosols are one of major sources of hospital-acquired infections (HAI's) that can pose serious health implications to the patients, health care workers and visitors in the hospitals across the world. Methodology: In this study, the molecular identification and phylogenetic...

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Main Authors: Afzal Nimra, Zulfiqar Ali, Sikandar Sultan, Zaheer Ahmad Nasir, Safdar Sidra, Ali Hussain
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2022-01-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/13682
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author Afzal Nimra
Zulfiqar Ali
Sikandar Sultan
Zaheer Ahmad Nasir
Safdar Sidra
Ali Hussain
author_facet Afzal Nimra
Zulfiqar Ali
Sikandar Sultan
Zaheer Ahmad Nasir
Safdar Sidra
Ali Hussain
author_sort Afzal Nimra
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Bioaerosols are one of major sources of hospital-acquired infections (HAI's) that can pose serious health implications to the patients, health care workers and visitors in the hospitals across the world. Methodology: In this study, the molecular identification and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols collected from Orthopedic Wards (OW) and Orthopedic Emergency Rooms (OER) of six hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan was done to investigate their diversity and genetic relatedness. Moreover, the role of different ventilation practices (i.e., centrally air-conditioned and non-central air-conditioned) in determining bioaerosols load was evaluated by using both culture and non-culture based (Flow cytometry) approaches. Results: The molecular characterization based on 16S rRNA gene and phylogenetic analysis of frequently recovered bacterial isolates showed 97-99% similarity to diverse sources i.e., air, soil and clinical strains isolated from various countries. The centrally air-conditioned hospitals had significantly lower levels of bioaerosols at most of the sites as compared to non- central air-conditioned hospitals. Conclusions: The molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences can be effective tool in identifying nature and evolution of bioaerosols, and can improve infection control and surveillance in hospitals. The observed levels of bioaerosols suggest hospitals equipped with central air conditioners have considerably more air hygiene compared to non-central air conditioning systems. These findings are imperative for informing policies on planning and implementation of infection control strategies in hospitals in resource limited settings.
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spelling doaj-art-73c36cdba0bc497c8f710445d102ccbf2025-08-20T02:57:01ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802022-01-01160110.3855/jidc.13682Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols in hospital wards with different ventilation conditionsAfzal Nimra0Zulfiqar Ali1Sikandar Sultan2Zaheer Ahmad Nasir3Safdar Sidra4Ali Hussain5Environmental Health and Wildlife, Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, PakistanEnvironmental Health and Wildlife, Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, PakistanDepartment of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, PakistanSchool of Water, Energy and Environment, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, United KingdomDepartment of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, PakistanDepartment of Wildlife and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan Introduction: Bioaerosols are one of major sources of hospital-acquired infections (HAI's) that can pose serious health implications to the patients, health care workers and visitors in the hospitals across the world. Methodology: In this study, the molecular identification and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols collected from Orthopedic Wards (OW) and Orthopedic Emergency Rooms (OER) of six hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan was done to investigate their diversity and genetic relatedness. Moreover, the role of different ventilation practices (i.e., centrally air-conditioned and non-central air-conditioned) in determining bioaerosols load was evaluated by using both culture and non-culture based (Flow cytometry) approaches. Results: The molecular characterization based on 16S rRNA gene and phylogenetic analysis of frequently recovered bacterial isolates showed 97-99% similarity to diverse sources i.e., air, soil and clinical strains isolated from various countries. The centrally air-conditioned hospitals had significantly lower levels of bioaerosols at most of the sites as compared to non- central air-conditioned hospitals. Conclusions: The molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences can be effective tool in identifying nature and evolution of bioaerosols, and can improve infection control and surveillance in hospitals. The observed levels of bioaerosols suggest hospitals equipped with central air conditioners have considerably more air hygiene compared to non-central air conditioning systems. These findings are imperative for informing policies on planning and implementation of infection control strategies in hospitals in resource limited settings. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/13682BioaerosolsFlow cytometryHospitalsAir qualityVentilationPakistan
spellingShingle Afzal Nimra
Zulfiqar Ali
Sikandar Sultan
Zaheer Ahmad Nasir
Safdar Sidra
Ali Hussain
Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols in hospital wards with different ventilation conditions
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Bioaerosols
Flow cytometry
Hospitals
Air quality
Ventilation
Pakistan
title Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols in hospital wards with different ventilation conditions
title_full Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols in hospital wards with different ventilation conditions
title_fullStr Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols in hospital wards with different ventilation conditions
title_full_unstemmed Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols in hospital wards with different ventilation conditions
title_short Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols in hospital wards with different ventilation conditions
title_sort molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of bioaerosols in hospital wards with different ventilation conditions
topic Bioaerosols
Flow cytometry
Hospitals
Air quality
Ventilation
Pakistan
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/13682
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