ANTIFUNGAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY OF MICROBIOLOGY LABORATORY

ABSTRACT

Air is the invisible mixture of gases (such as nitrogen and oxygen) that surrounds the earth and it is needed by people and animals for aerobic respiration. Indoor air quality refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it’s relates to the health and comforts of building occupants. The aim of this research work is to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of fungi isolated in the microbiology laboratory air at University of Benin, Benin City.Air samples were collected using the settle plate methods which involved exposing plates of potato dextrose agar and incubated for 3-5 days at room temperature. Fungal isolates were identified by cultural characteristics and light microscopy, after which  purified cultures were subjected to antifungal susceptibility testing by disk diffusion method. The results obtained showed colony counts of fungi ranged from 0.80 x 10² - 1.9 x 10² cfu/m³.Four fungal species were isolated; Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus nedulan, and Alternaria alternaria. Aspergillus fumigatus andAspergillus nedulan (36.40 %) was the most commonly isolated, while Alternaria alternaria (27. 20%) was the least prevalent. The isolate vary in their patterns of susceptibility against tested antifungal agents. It was observed that 90% of the fungal isolates were sensitive to ketoconazole, while most of the isolates showed resistance to clotrimazole. The qualitative analyses of the fungi flora of the indoor air of microbiology laboratory have provided information on the airborne fungi. These findings therefore conclude that the fungi flora of the study area is made up of organisms that have public health concern.