Abstract
A study was undertaken to determine typical concentrations ofairborne bacteria in a local hospital in the tropicalenvironment of Singapore. Aerial sampling was conducted atvarious locations within the air-conditioned hospital buildingincluding the main lobby, a visitor restricted ward and apharmacy. Concentrations of airborne bacteria exceededavailable local guidelines for indoor air quality (i.e., 500colony forming units m-3 air in an air-conditionedenvironment) in the lobby and pharmacy, but not in the visitorrestricted ward. Results showed that the occupant density wasthe key factor influencing the level of airborne bacteria, buthumidity was also important depending on the particularlocation within the hospital. Bacteria identified wererepresentative of normal microflora of the skin, respiratoryand gastro-intestinal tracts, but also included theopportunistic pathogens Acinetobacter and Flavobacterium spp.
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