De Waegemaeker Pascal, Snoeij Thomas, Leroux-Roels Isabel
Ghent University Hospital, Infection Control Department, Ghent, Belgium.
Infect Prev Pract. 2025 Jun 12;7(3):100472. doi: 10.1016/j.infpip.2025.100472. eCollection 2025 Sep.
For a vulnerable hospital population, hospital ventilation systems can pose a risk if not maintained correctly. Dust accumulation in air ducts can create environments that allow fungal spores, such as , to thrive, potentially leading to severe infections like invasive aspergillosis. Our study aimed to develop a safe protocol for cleaning ventilation systems on an active ward in healthcare settings.
We conducted a comparative evaluation of ventilation duct cleaning in adjacent hospital rooms. In one room, the ducts were accessed from within the room using a traditional brushing method, while in the other room, the ducts were primarily accessed from outside using a novel method including the use of newly developed low speed brushes and point extraction of debris. Air quality was monitored by counting particles every 15 minutes in 100-liter samples using a calibrated air sampler and collecting microbiological specimens before and after the cleaning process.
In-room cleaning caused a significant spike in airborne particles of all sizes, along with a modest increase in spores, which took an hour to return to baseline levels. Conversely, external access for cleaning did not notably impact room air quality.
These findings highlight the risks associated with internal duct cleaning, especially for patients who are vulnerable to airborne fungal infections. External duct access proves to be a safer alternative, ensuring minimal disruption to the air quality in patient care areas. This study supports the necessity of strategic planning in hospital ventilation maintenance to protect vulnerable populations.
对于医院中的弱势群体而言，如果医院通风系统维护不当，可能会带来风险。空气管道中的灰尘堆积会营造出有利于真菌孢子（如 ）滋生的环境，有可能导致侵袭性曲霉病等严重感染。我们的研究旨在制定一套安全规程，用于清洁医疗环境中正在使用的病房的通风系统。
我们对相邻医院病房的通风管道清洁进行了对比评估。在一个房间里，通过传统的刷洗方法从房间内部进入管道进行清洁；而在另一个房间里，主要从外部进入管道，采用一种新方法，包括使用新开发的低速刷子和定点清除碎片。使用校准后的空气采样器，每15分钟对100升样本中的颗粒进行计数，并在清洁过程前后采集微生物标本，以此监测空气质量。
在房间内进行清洁导致各种尺寸的空气中颗粒物显著激增，同时 孢子数量略有增加，且需要一个小时才能恢复到基线水平。相反，从外部进入管道进行清洁对房间空气质量没有显著影响。
这些发现凸显了内部管道清洁所带来的风险，尤其是对于易受空气传播真菌感染的患者。事实证明，从外部进入管道进行清洁是一种更安全的选择，可确保对患者护理区域的空气质量造成最小干扰。本研究支持在医院通风维护中进行战略规划以保护弱势群体的必要性。
