- Su Yadana
Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.
- Kristen Kelli Coleman, PhD
Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0024-3400
- Tham Thi Nguyen
Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.
- Christophe Hansen-Estruch
Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States.
- Shirin Kalimuddin
Department of Infectious Diseases, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
- Koh Cheng Thoon
Department of Pediatrics, Infectious Disease Service, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore.
- Jenny Guek Hong Low
Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School; Department of Infectious Diseases, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
- Gregory Charles Gray
Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore; Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine and Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Global Health Research Center, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China.
ABSTRACT
There is an increasing body of evidence suggesting that transmission of respiratory viruses occurs through the inhalation of virus-laden particles. Our study describes the use of an aerosol sampling system to monitor the prevalence of airborne viruses in a hospital setting. Using SKC AirCheck Touch pumps, with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) bioaerosol samplers and SKC filter cassette blanks, 28 aerosol samples were collected in a hospital ward in Singapore. Following DNA/RNA extraction, real-time RT-PCR/PCR was used for the detection of influenza A, B and D viruses, coronaviruses, enteroviruses, and adenoviruses. Airborne virus was detected in nine (32%) of 28 samples. Among the nine positive samples, eight were PCR-positive for adenovirus and one for influenza A virus. Our data suggest that bioaerosol sampling could be valuable in monitoring for airborne respiratory viruses in clinical environments to better understand the risk of infection during a hospital visit.
