Karol Bulski*, Krzysztof Frączek*, Anna Cendrowska**, Maria J. Chmiel*
University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland; Veterinary Practice „Animals”, Krakow, Poland
corresponding author’s e-mail:
Abstract
Due to the nature of the work (animal treatment and care of animals) the environment of small animal veterinary practice can be contaminated by microorganisms. Therefore, veterinary practices or hospitals are facilities, where veteri-narians, clients and animals can be exposed to biological agents. The objective of the study was to characterize the bacte-riological quality of air in small animal veterinary practice in Krakow. Bioaerosol measurements were performed during the summer season of 2017. The samples of outdoor and indoor air at small animal veterinary practice were analyzed, using a 6-stage Andersen`s air sampler. The highest concentration of bacterial aerosol was observed in the treatment room. There were statistically significant differences in the concentrations of bacterial aerosol between indoor and out-door air. Also, the analysis showed that there were significantly higher airborne microbial loads in different rooms at different measuring times of the day. Based on the analysis of bioaerosol particle size distribution it was found that the largest "load" of bacteria, isolated form the air, can reach (in the human respiratory system) to the region of the nasal and oral cavity, throat and trachea, as well as bronchioles. In the indoor air, the predominant groups of microorganisms were rods of the Bacillus genus and Gram-positive cocci from the Micrococcus and Staphylococcus genus. The study con-firmed that the small animal veterinary practice can be a workplace related to exposure to microbial agents.
Keywords
bioaerosol, bacteria, air, animal veterinary practice
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