ABSTRACT
The role the hospital environment plays in each can be scientifically determined. Each hospital is unique. Each hospital has different standards of cleanliness, different habits associated with patient care, and different microorganisms in the environment. Microorganisms can be found in the environment associated with droplet nuclei, droplets, or dust. The large—sized particles, dust and droplets can be collected as these settle on standard petri dishes. Microorganisms in both airborne droplet nuclei and accumulations of dust and droplets on surfaces can be destroyed by properly designed exposure to ultraviolet irradiation. One parameter, the accumulation of microorganisms on surfaces can also be used to evaluate housekeeping procedures as well as microorganisms shed by patients and personnel. Patients and personnel can, therefore, be victims as well as sources of environmental microorganisms: victims when they are colonized by hospital flora, sources when they shed these microorganisms. Air-borne microorganisms have been reported associated with respiratory attack rates.
