International Journal of Occupational Hygiene (Dec 2019)
Investigating the Prevalence of Fungal Infections among Operating Personnel at a Petroleum Refinery Complex on Warm and Humid Conditions
Abstract
Infectious diseases are one of the most important health and economic problems in the world, especially in developing countries. Hence, the present study was aimed to investigate the epidemiological prevalence and predict the fungal infections’ effective factors among operating personnel at a petroleum refinery complex located in the south of Iran on warm and humid conditions. A group of 200 individuals was selected to collect fungal infections samples from five parts of their body including the auricle, ear canal, foot toes, foot palm, and foot nail. After sampling, the collected samples were transported into a laboratory and cultured in a culture medium for three weeks in thermal conditions of 25 centigrade on an incubator. In the next step, the grown fungi were detected using the colony examination and fungal characteristics of staining with lactophenol cotton blue, and the slide culture method. As well as, air temperature and relative humidity were measured using a WBGT. Data were analyzed finally using SPPSS software version 22.The mean and standard deviation of the air temperature and relative humidity in the operating units were 39.2 ± 7.34 Celsius degrees and 75.8 ± 15.31 percent, respectively. Of 200 samples cultured in the laboratory, 188 showed negative culture results and 12 samples had positive culture results. The fungal infections were founded in measured body parts of some people including the auricle of four subjects, ear canal of nine subjects, foot toes of five subjects, foot palm of six subjects, and foot nail of twelve subjects. Of 1000 isolated samples, 15 cases had been infected with trichophyton, eight cases with onychomycosis, six cases with aspergillus, four subjects with Candiais, and three cases with microsporum harborum. Based on the results, trichophyton were the most common fungal infections. As well as, foot nail and ear canal areas were founded as the most prevalence of places with the infections.
