Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T12:23:52.186Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Studies on the effects of ionization on bacterial aerosols in a burns and plastic surgery unit

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

Paavo Mäkelä ,
Juhani Ojajärvi ,
Gunnar Graeffe  and
Matti Lehtimäki
Paavo Mäkelä
Affiliation:
Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki
Juhani Ojajärvi
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki
Gunnar Graeffe
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere
Matti Lehtimäki
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The effect of the ionization of the air on the decay of bacterial aerosols was studied in a Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit. Ions were generated by free corona needles. The air content of bacteria measured by settle plates was found to be smaller during the ionization period than during the controls period. The number of individual phage typed Staph. aureus strains was especially found to be lower during ionization. The opposite potential increased the disappearance of bacteria from the air. The size of skin particles carrying bacteria is not optimum, but the results obtained show that the ionization may have applications in controlling airborne infection.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 83 , Issue 2 , October 1979 , pp. 199 - 206
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

References

Barr, P. O., Birk, G., Liljedahl, S. O. & Plantin, L. O. (1907). Treatment of burns with warm dry air. Lancet ii, 1276.Google Scholar
Estola, T., Mäkelä, P. & Hovi, T. (1979). The effect of air ionization on the air-borne transmission of experimental Newcastle disease virus infections in chickens. Journal of Hygiene 83, 59.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gualtierotti, R., Kornblueh, I. H. & Sirtori, L. (1968). The influence of ionization on endocrine glands. In Bioclimatology, Biometeorology and Aeroionotherapy, Milan, Kaarlo Erba Foundation.Google Scholar
Hall, L. B. & Harnett, M. J. (1964). Measurement of the bacterial contamination on surfaces in hospitals. Public Health Reports, Washington 79, 1021.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hambraeus, A. (1973). Studies on transmission of Staphylococcus aureus in an isolation ward for burned patients. Journal of Hygiene 71, 171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koller, W. & Rotter, M. (1974). Weiters untersuchungen über die Eignung von Gelatin-filtern zur Sammlung von Luftkeimen. Zentralblatt für Bakteriologie, Parasitenkunde, Infektionskrankheiten und Hygiene, Abt. I, Orig. B 159, 546.Google Scholar
Krueger, P. & Reed, E. (1976). Biological impact of small air ions. Science, N.Y. 193, 1209.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lehtimäki, M. & Graeffe, G. (1976). The effect of the ionization of air on aerosols in closed spaces. Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Contamination Control, Copenhagen, 2, 370–82.Google Scholar
Noble, W. C. & Somerville, D. A. (1974). Microbiology of Human Skin. London: Sanders.Google Scholar
Phillips, G., Harris, G. J. & Jones, M. V. (1964). Effect of air ions on bacterial aerosols. International Journal of Biometeorology 8, 27–37.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed