Abstract

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Medical wastes generated within the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri between the months of April to July, 2019 were evaluated for fungal load. Material wastes divided into sharps, laboratory, infectious and general wastes were collected from the Physicians’ offices, wards and laboratory for a period of 16 weeks. They were weighed using a standard weighing balance and their weights ranged between 0.06kg to 1.92kg. The fungi present in the medical wastes were determined using standard mycological methods. The fungi isolated from the waste samples were Candida albicans having a frequency of 13(34.21%), followed by Aspergillus fumigatus and Mucor with 6(15.79%), each. Aspergillus flavus had 5(13.16%), Penicillium marneffei and Candida tropicalis had 3(7.89%), while Candida glabrata had the least occurrence of 2(5.62%). The laboratory wastes had the highest fungal load than any of the other medical wastes analyzed with 34.90% of the total isolates followed closely by the infectious wastes having 31.58%. Sharps contained 26.32% and general wastes had the least percentage of 7.89%. So, adequate care should be taken in the handling of these medical wastes to avoid the spread of these fungal organisms which will go a long way in reducing the spread of nosocomial infections.

Keywords: fungal load, medical wastes, Owerri, Imo State