Objective: Anatomy laboratories carry a risk of microbiological contamination due to cadavers, human tissues, and heavy human traffic. This study aims to evaluate the air quality of anatomy laboratories and related areas from a microbiological perspective and to identify the types of microorganisms present in the environment.

Materials and Methods: Samples were collected from a total of 49 locations using the petri dish opening method. Twenty-six of these were collected from the anatomy practical laboratory, while the others were collected from the waiting area, cadaver room, bone room, assistant rooms, and toilets. The samples were incubated at 35°C and 25°C for 7 days. Gram staining was performed on the colonies. Bacterial or mycological identification was performed using the VITEK 2 Compact (BioMérieux, France) system based on the results obtained. Fungi were evaluated according to pigment coloration in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Results: Microbial growth was detected in 81.6% of the samples. Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequently isolated species, while Aspergillus flavus and Staphylococcus epidermidis were also found in significant amounts. Microbial growth was detected in 69.2% of samples taken from laboratories and 85.7% of samples taken from areas expected by students, with Bacillus subtilis being the most common species. Microbial growth was observed in all samples taken from the cadaver room, bone room, assistant room, and toilet areas; particularly Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus epidermidis were commonly found in these areas.

Conclusion: It has been determined that microbial growth is common in laboratory environments and that microorganisms such as Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus are frequently isolated. These findings indicate that hygiene and environmental control measures need to be increased in anatomy laboratories.