Browsing by Author "Pereira, Cristiana"
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- Aspergillus spp. prevalence in one Portuguese hospital: a reason to be worried?Publication . Viegas, Carla; Dias, Marta; Almeida, Beatriz; Paciência, Inês; Rufo, João Cavaleiro; Teixeira, João Paulo; Pereira, CristianaAspergillus genus is responsible for over 80% of pulmonary invasive fungal infections in humans. Invasive aspergillosis, caused by Aspergillus fumigatus in 80% of the cases, is the most common invasive fungal infection. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of Aspergillus genus in a Portuguese hospital, using a wide sampling approach combining active and passive methods. A total of 15 sampling sites were defined, distributed by the different hospital areas - emergency room, day hospital, internment ward, operating room, and outpatient area. Active (air impaction) and passive (surfaces swabs, settled the dust, filters from heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and electrostatic dust collectors (EDC) sampling methods were applied. Samples were impacted/washed and seeded on malt extract agar (MEA) supplemented with chloramphenicol (0.05%) and dichloran-glycerol agar (DG18).
- Construção com base em terra: contributo para a ecoeficiência na construçãoPublication . Gomes, Maria; Santos, Tânia; Pereira, Cristiana; Faria, PaulinaA terra é dos mais antigos materiais de construção, existindo registos da sua utilização desde o período pré-histórico. Utilizada na construção de um vasto património edificado, como fortificações, residências nobres, igrejas, mosteiros, habitação e apoios agrícolas, entre outros, a utilização da terra apresenta inúmeras vantagens, nomeadamente, económicas, ecológicas e de conforto interior, devido à capacidade de regulação da humidade relativa do ambiente interior, conferida pela argila, que é higroscópica e incombustível. Portugal apresenta um vasto património edificado de construção com terra, tendo como principais técnicas construtivas a taipa, o adobe e o tabique, que se apresenta disperso por todo o território nacional. Lamentavelmente, grande parte deste património apresenta um estado de conservação muito debilitado e urgem intervenções de reabilitação. A construção com terra era realizada através do conhecimento empírico, transmitido de geração em geração, que foi sendo perdido devido ao desinteresse e surgimento de novos materiais, como o tijolo cerâmico cozido, argamassas e betões utilizando cimento Portland, e de novas técnicas construtivas, originando o declínio deste tipo de construção no século XX. No entanto, e com base nas vantagens do material e das técnicas construtivas ancestrais de construção com terra, registou-se um renovado interesse por este tipo de material de construção, principalmente no Sul de Portugal, não só no âmbito da conservação do património e da reabilitação das construções existentes, mas também para construção contemporânea. Ainda assim, e mesmo com o aparecimento dos blocos de terra comprimida, a construção com terra assume um papel residual no setor da construção em Portugal. No presente artigo descrevem-se, resumidamente, os principais sistemas construtivos com base em terra utilizados em Portugal, discutem-se as suas potencialidades e a relevância atual destas técnicas construtivas como contributo para a sustentabilidade ambiental, e identificam-se, ainda, algumas questões fundamentais, atualmente em aberto, como a necessidade de normalização e regulamentação.
- Elderly exposure to fungi: a review studyPublication . Almeida-Silva, Marina; Pereira, CristianaIndoor air quality is an increasing concern since people spend 90% of their time indoors. The majority of exposure to air pollution happens indoors rather than outdoors, despite the focus being on the latter. Indoor air quality in elderly care centers (ECC) is an emerging important issue arising in the last decade because of the increase in life expectancy, the number of individuals residing in ECC, and population aging, which is correlated with the inversion of the age pyramid (United Nations UN, 2012; GEP/MSSS, 2010). However, given the magnitude of the ECC population that is aging, and the considerable amount of time spent by elders within ECC, information linking contamination of ECC by particles, micro-organisms, and exposure of elders continues to be sparse. Thus, societies must provide environments that guaranty the wellbeing of vulnerable groups like the elderly.
- Exposure assessment in one central hospital: a multi-approach protocol to achieve an accurate risk characterizationPublication . Viegas, Carla; Almeida, Beatriz; Monteiro, Ana; Paciência, Inês; Rufo, João; Aguiar, Lívia; Lage, Bruna; Diogo Gonçalves, Lídia Maria; Aranha Caetano, Liliana; Carolino, Elisabete; Gomes, Anita Quintal; Twarużek, Magdalena; Kosicki, Robert; Grajewski, Jan; Teixeira, João Paulo; Viegas, Susana; Pereira, CristianaThe bioburden in a Hospital building originates not only from patients, visitors and staff, but is also disseminated by several indoor hospital characteristics and outdoor environmental sources. This study intends to assess the exposure to bioburden in one central hospital with a multi-approach protocol using active and passive sampling methods. The microbial contamination was also characterized through molecular tools for toxigenic species, antifungal resistance and mycotoxins, and endotoxins profile. Two cytotoxicity assays (MTT and resazurin) were conducted with two cell lines (Calu-3 and THP-1), and in vitro pro-inflammatory potential was assessed in the THP-1 cell line. Out of the 15 sampling locations, 33.3% did not comply with Portuguese legislation regarding bacterial contamination, whereas concerning fungal contamination 60% presented I/O > 1. Toxigenic fungal species were observed in 27% of the sampled rooms (4 out of 15) and qPCR analysis successfully amplified DNA from the Aspergillus sections Flavi and Fumigati, although mycotoxins were not detected. Growth of distinct fungal species was observed on Sabouraud dextrose agar with triazole drugs, such as Aspergillus section Versicolores on 1 mg/L VORI. The highest concentrations of endotoxins were found in settled dust samples and ranged from 5.72 to 23.0 EU.mg−1. While a considerable cytotoxic effect (cell viability < 30%) was observed in one HVAC filter sample with the Calu-3 cell line, it was not observed with the THP-1 cell line. In air samples, a medium cytotoxic effect (61–68% cell viability) was observed in 3 out of 15 samples. The cytokine responses produced a more potent average cell response (46.8 ± 12.3 ρg/mL IL-1β; 90.8 ± 58.5 ρg/mL TNF-α) on passive samples than air samples (25.5 ± 5.2 ρg/mL IL-1β and of 19.4 ± 5.2 ρg/mL TNF-α). A multi-approach regarding parameters to assess, sampling, and analysis methods should be followed to characterize the bioburden in the hospital indoor environment. This study supports the importance of considering exposure to complex mixtures in indoor environments.
- Hospital environment: a safe place to be when using Portuguese legislation as guidance?Publication . Viegas, Carla; Almeida, Beatriz; Paciência, Inês; Rufo, João Cavaleiro; Pereira, CristianaExposure to bioburden (comprising bacteria and fungi) has become one of the critical issues for occupational and public health approaches in the hospital environment. This study aims to assess the fungal burden in one Central Hospital in Oporto, Portugal, applying the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Portuguese legislation as guidance, verifying both the limit values and the conformity established for general indoor environments. Air samples were collected using a microbiological air sampler in several hospital areas (Day hospital, Internment ward, Operating Room, and Outpatient area). Among the 15 rooms analyzed, 20% (3 out of 15) presented I/O > 1 and 4 out of 15 presented Aspergillus section Fumigati, in a concentration above 12 UFC·m−3. Besides Aspergillus section Fumigati, the sections Nigri, Aspergilli, Usti, and Versicolores were also observed. Qualitative assessment, besides the quantitative, should always be performed to guarantee an accurate assessment, even though the quantitative cut-off complies with the legal requirement. A multi-approach on sampling methods and in assays (culture-based and molecular methods) will enrich data findings, enabling exposure assessors to perform IAQ assessments.