Post-flood measurement of fungal bio-aerosol in a resource-limited hospital: can the settle plate method be used?

The performance of the settle plate method (SPM) compared with the microbiological air sampler method (MAS) for post-flood fungal bio-aerosol (FB) measurement was evaluated in a Thai hospital. Compared with closed-ventilation units, open-ventilation units had significantly higher median FB level by SPM on days 3 and 5 of incubation (270 vs 90 colony-forming units (cfu)/m(3) and 420 vs 180 cfu/m(3), respectively). Strong correlations between SPM and MAS results on day 3 (r = 1.60, P < 0.001) and day 5 (r = 1.49, P = 0.002) of incubation suggested the utility of SPM for post-flood FB measurement in open-ventilation units in resource-limited situations.