Detection and analysis of airborne aerobes and Gram-negative bacteria and spread identification of airborne Escherichia coli using ERIC-PCR in hospital environment

This study was conducted to understand the enumeration and composition of airborne aerobes and Gram-negative bacteria and the spread of microbial aerosols in hospital environment. The aerobes and Gram-negative bacteria were identified and counted, and the similarity of Escherichia coli from different sites was analyzed by ERIC-PCR. The results showed that the enumerations of aerobes and inhalable aerobes in the corridor and hall were apparently higher than those in the three rooms (P