Influenza virus survival in aerosols and estimates of viable virus loss resulting from aerosolization and air-sampling

J. R. Brown; J. W. Tang; L. Pankhurst; N. Klein; V. Gant; K. M. Lai; J. McCauley; J. Breuer

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2015.08.004

Influenza virus survival in aerosols and estimates of viable virus loss resulting from aerosolization and air-sampling

J. R. Brown
, J. W. Tang^*
, L. Pankhurst
, N. Klein
, V. Gant
, K. M. Lai
, J. McCauley
, J. Breuer

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review

35 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Using a Collison nebulizer, aerosols of influenza (A/Udorn/307/72 H3N2) were generated within a controlled experimental chamber, from known starting virus concentrations. Air samples collected after variable suspension times were tested quantitatively using both plaque and polymerase chain reaction assays, to compare the proportion of viable virus against the amount of detectable viral RNA. These experiments showed that whereas influenza RNA copies were well preserved, the number of viable viruses decreased by a factor of 10⁴-10⁵. This suggests that air-sampling studies for assessing infection control risks that detect only influenza RNA may greatly overestimate the amount of viable virus available to cause infection.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	278-281
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of Hospital Infection
Volume	91
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2015.08.004
Publication status	Published - Nov 2015

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

User-Defined Keywords

Air-sampling
Airborne
Infection
Influenza
Nebulizer
Transmission

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10.1016/j.jhin.2015.08.004

Cite this

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title = "Influenza virus survival in aerosols and estimates of viable virus loss resulting from aerosolization and air-sampling",

abstract = "Using a Collison nebulizer, aerosols of influenza (A/Udorn/307/72 H3N2) were generated within a controlled experimental chamber, from known starting virus concentrations. Air samples collected after variable suspension times were tested quantitatively using both plaque and polymerase chain reaction assays, to compare the proportion of viable virus against the amount of detectable viral RNA. These experiments showed that whereas influenza RNA copies were well preserved, the number of viable viruses decreased by a factor of 104-105. This suggests that air-sampling studies for assessing infection control risks that detect only influenza RNA may greatly overestimate the amount of viable virus available to cause infection.",

keywords = "Air-sampling, Airborne, Infection, Influenza, Nebulizer, Transmission",

author = "Brown, \{J. R.\} and Tang, \{J. W.\} and L. Pankhurst and N. Klein and V. Gant and Lai, \{K. M.\} and J. McCauley and J. Breuer",

note = "Funding Information: J. McCauley was supported by the UK Medical Research Council ( MRC U117512723 ) during this study. J. Brown was supported by an educational grant from Medixair , Brandenburg UK, during this study.",

year = "2015",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.jhin.2015.08.004",

language = "English",

volume = "91",

pages = "278--281",

journal = "Journal of Hospital Infection",

issn = "0195-6701",

publisher = "W.B. Saunders Ltd",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Influenza virus survival in aerosols and estimates of viable virus loss resulting from aerosolization and air-sampling

AU - Brown, J. R.

AU - Tang, J. W.

AU - Pankhurst, L.

AU - Klein, N.

AU - Gant, V.

AU - Lai, K. M.

AU - McCauley, J.

AU - Breuer, J.

N1 - Funding Information: J. McCauley was supported by the UK Medical Research Council ( MRC U117512723 ) during this study. J. Brown was supported by an educational grant from Medixair , Brandenburg UK, during this study.

PY - 2015/11

Y1 - 2015/11

N2 - Using a Collison nebulizer, aerosols of influenza (A/Udorn/307/72 H3N2) were generated within a controlled experimental chamber, from known starting virus concentrations. Air samples collected after variable suspension times were tested quantitatively using both plaque and polymerase chain reaction assays, to compare the proportion of viable virus against the amount of detectable viral RNA. These experiments showed that whereas influenza RNA copies were well preserved, the number of viable viruses decreased by a factor of 104-105. This suggests that air-sampling studies for assessing infection control risks that detect only influenza RNA may greatly overestimate the amount of viable virus available to cause infection.

AB - Using a Collison nebulizer, aerosols of influenza (A/Udorn/307/72 H3N2) were generated within a controlled experimental chamber, from known starting virus concentrations. Air samples collected after variable suspension times were tested quantitatively using both plaque and polymerase chain reaction assays, to compare the proportion of viable virus against the amount of detectable viral RNA. These experiments showed that whereas influenza RNA copies were well preserved, the number of viable viruses decreased by a factor of 104-105. This suggests that air-sampling studies for assessing infection control risks that detect only influenza RNA may greatly overestimate the amount of viable virus available to cause infection.

KW - Air-sampling

KW - Airborne

KW - Infection

KW - Influenza

KW - Nebulizer

KW - Transmission

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84945261000

U2 - 10.1016/j.jhin.2015.08.004

DO - 10.1016/j.jhin.2015.08.004

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26412395

AN - SCOPUS:84945261000

SN - 0195-6701

VL - 91

SP - 278

EP - 281

JO - Journal of Hospital Infection

JF - Journal of Hospital Infection

IS - 3

ER -

Influenza virus survival in aerosols and estimates of viable virus loss resulting from aerosolization and air-sampling

Abstract

UN SDGs

User-Defined Keywords

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