(Short Communication) Assessment of Airborne Fungal Contamination in Medical Cadet Dormitory Rooms at Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Thailand

Abstract

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a critical determinant of health in residential and institutional settings. Airborne fungi are of particular concern due to their potential role in triggering allergies, respiratory symptoms, and opportunistic infections. This study aimed to assess the airborne fungal load and diversity in dormitory rooms at Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Thailand. Air sampling was conducted in March 2025 in 40 dormitory rooms using the passive open-plate method with Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). Plates were exposed for one hour at approximately 1.0 m above the ground, incubated at 25°C for 7 days, and examined macroscopically and microscopically. Colony counts were expressed as colony-forming units per square meter per hour (CFU/m2/h) and classified according to the Index of Microbial Air Contamination (IMA). Airborne fungal loads ranged from 157 to 17,296 CFU/m2/h, with a median of 943 CFU/m2/h (IQR 157 1,258), indicating that most rooms exhibited moderate levels, while a limited number showed markedly elevated counts. The predominant genera identified were Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp. and Mucor spp. Overall, most rooms exhibited moderate to high contamination levels, with localized areas of very high fungal loads. These findings underscore the importance of routine environmental monitoring, ventilation management, and moisture control to sustain healthy living environments in medical dormitories. Future studies integrating active air sampling and molecular identification methods are recommended for a more comprehensive assessment.