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Bisen M, Kharga K, Mehta S, Jabi N, Kumar L. Bacteriophages in nature: recent advances in research tools and diverse environmental and biotechnological applications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:22199-22242. [PMID: 38411907 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32535-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Bacteriophages infect and replicate within bacteria and play a key role in the environment, particularly in microbial ecosystems and bacterial population dynamics. The increasing recognition of their significance stems from their wide array of environmental and biotechnological uses, which encompass the mounting issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Beyond their therapeutic potential in combating antibiotic-resistant infections, bacteriophages also find vast applications such as water quality monitoring, bioremediation, and nutrient cycling within environmental sciences. Researchers are actively involved in isolating and characterizing bacteriophages from different natural sources to explore their applications. Gaining insights into key aspects such as the life cycle of bacteriophages, their host range, immune interactions, and physical stability is vital to enhance their application potential. The establishment of diverse phage libraries has become indispensable to facilitate their wide-ranging uses. Consequently, numerous protocols, ranging from traditional to cutting-edge techniques, have been developed for the isolation, detection, purification, and characterization of bacteriophages from diverse environmental sources. This review offers an exploration of tools, delves into the methods of isolation, characterization, and the extensive environmental applications of bacteriophages, particularly in areas like water quality assessment, the food sector, therapeutic interventions, and the phage therapy in various infections and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monish Bisen
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Kusum Kharga
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Sakshi Mehta
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Nashra Jabi
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Lokender Kumar
- School of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India.
- Cancer Biology Laboratory, Raj Khosla Centre for Cancer Research, Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh, Solan, 173229, India.
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2
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Pertegal V, Lacasa E, Cañizares P, Rodrigo MA, Sáez C. Understanding the influence of the bioaerosol source on the distribution of airborne bacteria in hospital indoor air. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114458. [PMID: 36181895 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The composition and concentration of airborne microorganisms in hospital indoor air has been reported to contain airborne bacteria and fungi concentrations ranged 101-103 CFU/m3 in inpatients facilities which mostly exceed recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO). In this work, a deeper knowledge of the performance of airborne microorganisms would allow improving the designs of the air-conditioning installations to restrict hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). A solution containing Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a model of airborne bacteria was nebulized using the Collison nebulizer to simulate bioaerosols in various hospital areas such as patients' rooms or bathrooms. Results showed that the bioaerosol source had a significant influence on the airborne bacteria concentrations since 4.00 102, 6.84 103 and 1.39 104 CFU mL-1 were monitored during the aerosolization for 10 min of urine, saliva and urban wastewater, respectively. These results may be explained considering the quite narrow distribution profile of drop sizes around 1.10-1.29 μm obtained for urban wastewater, with much vaster distribution profiles during the aerosolization of urine or saliva. The airborne bacteria concentration may increase up to 107 CFU mL-1 for longer sampling times and higher aerosolization pressures, causing several cell damages. The cell membrane damage index (ID) can vary from 0 to 1, depending on the genomic DNA releases from bacteria. In fact, the ID of E. coli was more than two times higher (0.33 vs. 0.72) when increasing the pressure of air flow was applied from 1 to 2 bar. Finally, the ventilation air flow also affected the distribution of bioaerosols due to its direct relationship with the relative humidity of indoor air. Specifically, the airborne bacteria concentration diminished almost below 3-logs by applying more than 10 L min-1 during the aerosolization of urine due to their inactivation by an increase in their osmotic pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Pertegal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Higher Technical School of Industrial Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Edificio Infante Don Juan Manuel, Campus Universitario S/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain
| | - Engracia Lacasa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Higher Technical School of Industrial Engineering, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Edificio Infante Don Juan Manuel, Campus Universitario S/n, 02071, Albacete, Spain.
| | - Pablo Cañizares
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Edificio Enrique Costa Novella, Campus Universitario S/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Manuel A Rodrigo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Edificio Enrique Costa Novella, Campus Universitario S/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Cristina Sáez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Edificio Enrique Costa Novella, Campus Universitario S/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain.
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Hayden M, Morrow B, Yang W, Wang J. Quantifying the role of airborne transmission in the spread of COVID-19. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2023; 20:587-612. [PMID: 36650780 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2023027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
There is an ongoing debate on the different transmission modes of SARS-CoV-2 and their relative contributions to the pandemic. In this paper, we employ a simple mathematical model, which incorporates both the human-to-human and environment-to-human transmission routes, to study the transmission dynamics of COVID-19. We focus our attention on the role of airborne transmission in the spread of the disease in a university campus setting. We conduct both mathematical analysis and numerical simulation, and incorporate published experimental data for the viral concentration in the air to fit model parameters. Meanwhile, we compare the outcome to that of the standard SIR model, utilizing a perturbation analysis in the presence of multiple time scales. Our data fitting and numerical simulation results show that the risk of airborne transmission for SARS-CoV-2 strongly depends on how long the virus can remain viable in the air. If the time for this viability is short, the airborne transmission route would be inconsequential in shaping the overall transmission risk and the total infection size. On the other hand, if the infectious virus can persist in aerosols beyond a few hours, then airborne transmission could play a much more significant role in the spread of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Hayden
- Department of Mathematics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Bryce Morrow
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Wesley Yang
- Department of Mathematics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Jin Wang
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
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Mei D, Duan W, Li Y, Li J, Chen W. Evaluating risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection of the elderly in the public bus under personalized air supply. SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY 2022; 84:104011. [PMID: 35756366 PMCID: PMC9212980 DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2022.104011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In developing countries, public transportation is the first choice for the elderly because of its convenience and cheapness. The high density population of public transportation increases the risk of passengers contracting infectious diseases, so it is extremely critical to determine healthy transportation systems to safeguard the health of passengers. The propagation characteristics of droplets in the ZK-type public bus were studied by computational fluid simulation employing the Realizable k-ε turbulence model and discrete phase model. The modified Wells-Riley model was used to quantitatively assess the infection risk of SARS-CoV-2 spread by droplets on the elderly. The risk assessment shows that when the personalized air supply angle is 30°, the number of infected passengers is the least, reaching 14, which shows that the infection risk of passengers can be reduced through the design of personalized air supply angle. Regardless of the angle of the personalized air supply, the rear seats are in a low-risk area. Therefore, it's recommended that elderly passengers choose the rear seats of the public bus during the epidemic to prevent being infected. This study can provide a reference for healthy transportation systems to construct a healthy environment inside the public bus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Mei
- Hubei Key Laboratory for Efficient Utilization and Agglomeration of Metallurgic Mineral Resources, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430081, China
- Hubei Provincial Industrial Safety Engineering Technology Research Center, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430081, China
| | - Wenzhu Duan
- Hubei Key Laboratory for Efficient Utilization and Agglomeration of Metallurgic Mineral Resources, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430081, China
| | - Yao Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory for Efficient Utilization and Agglomeration of Metallurgic Mineral Resources, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430081, China
| | - Jiaqian Li
- Hubei Provincial Industrial Safety Engineering Technology Research Center, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430081, China
| | - Wangsheng Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory for Efficient Utilization and Agglomeration of Metallurgic Mineral Resources, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430081, China
- Hubei Provincial Industrial Safety Engineering Technology Research Center, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430081, China
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Pivato A, Formenton G, Di Maria F, Baldovin T, Amoruso I, Bonato T, Mancini P, Bonanno Ferraro G, Veneri C, Iaconelli M, Bonadonna L, Vicenza T, La Rosa G, Suffredini E. SARS-CoV-2 in Atmospheric Particulate Matter: An Experimental Survey in the Province of Venice in Northern Italy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19159462. [PMID: 35954818 PMCID: PMC9367860 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Analysis of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) has been proposed for the environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to increase the current knowledge about the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in atmospheric PM, introduce a dedicated sampling method, and perform a simultaneous assessment of human seasonal coronavirus 229E. Thirty-two PM samples were collected on quartz fiber filters and six on Teflon using a low- and high-volumetric rate sampler, respectively, adopting a novel procedure for optimized virus detection. Sampling was performed at different sites in the Venice area (Italy) between 21 February and 8 March 2020 (n = 16) and between 27 October and 25 November 2020 (n = 22). A total of 14 samples were positive for Coronavirus 229E, 11 of which were collected in October–November 2020 (11/22; positivity rate 50%) and 3 in February–March 2020 (3/16 samples, 19%). A total of 24 samples (63%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Most of the positive filters were collected in October–November 2020 (19/22; positivity rate, 86%), whereas the remaining five were collected in February–March 2020 at two distinct sites (5/16, 31%). These findings suggest that outdoor PM analysis could be a promising tool for environmental surveillance. The results report a low concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in outdoor air, supporting a scarce contribution to the spread of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Pivato
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (ICEA), University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy;
| | - Gianni Formenton
- Environmental Agency of Veneto Region (ARPAV), 30171 Mestre, Italy;
| | - Francesco Di Maria
- LAR Laboratory, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, University of Perugia, 06125 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Tatjana Baldovin
- Hygiene and Public Health Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy;
- Correspondence:
| | - Irene Amoruso
- Hygiene and Public Health Unit, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, 35131 Padova, Italy;
| | - Tiziano Bonato
- Società Estense Servizi Ambientali (S.E.S.A. S.p.A.), 35042 Este, Italy;
| | - Pamela Mancini
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (P.M.); (G.B.F.); (C.V.); (M.I.); (L.B.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Giusy Bonanno Ferraro
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (P.M.); (G.B.F.); (C.V.); (M.I.); (L.B.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Carolina Veneri
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (P.M.); (G.B.F.); (C.V.); (M.I.); (L.B.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Marcello Iaconelli
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (P.M.); (G.B.F.); (C.V.); (M.I.); (L.B.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Lucia Bonadonna
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (P.M.); (G.B.F.); (C.V.); (M.I.); (L.B.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Teresa Vicenza
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (T.V.); (E.S.)
| | - Giuseppina La Rosa
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (P.M.); (G.B.F.); (C.V.); (M.I.); (L.B.); (G.L.R.)
| | - Elisabetta Suffredini
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (T.V.); (E.S.)
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Civra A, Costantino M, Cavalli R, Adami M, Volante M, Poli G, Lembo D. 27-Hydroxycholesterol inhibits rhinovirus replication in vitro and on human nasal and bronchial histocultures without selecting viral resistant variants. Antiviral Res 2022; 204:105368. [PMID: 35732227 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The genetic plasiticity of viruses is one of the main obstacles to the development of antivirals. The aim of this study has been to assess the ability of two physiologic oxysterols and host-targeting antivirals - namely 25- and 27-hydroxycholesterol (25OHC and 27OHC) - to select resistant strains, using human rhinovirus (HRV) as a challenging model of a viral quasispecies. Moreover, we selected 27OHC for further studies aimed at exploring its potential for the development of antiviral drugs. The results obtained with clonal or serial passage approaches show that 25OHC and 27OHC do not select HRV oxysterol-resistant variants. Moreover, we demonstrate the ability of 27OHC to inhibit the yield of HRV in 3D in vitro fully reconstituted human nasal and bronchial epithelia from cystic fibrosis patients and prevent virus-induced cilia damage. The promising antiviral activity of 27OHC and its competitive advantages over direct-acting antivirals, make this molecule a suitable candidate for further studies to explore its clinical potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Civra
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
| | - Matteo Costantino
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
| | - Roberta Cavalli
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, 10125, Turin, Italy.
| | - Marco Adami
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133, Italy.
| | - Marco Volante
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe Poli
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
| | - David Lembo
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, 10043, Orbassano, Turin, Italy.
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Tao Y, Zhang X, Qiu G, Spillmann M, Ji Z, Wang J. SARS-CoV-2 and other airborne respiratory viruses in outdoor aerosols in three Swiss cities before and during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 164:107266. [PMID: 35512527 PMCID: PMC9060371 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been affecting the world since the end of 2019. While virus-laden particles have been commonly detected and studied in the aerosol samples from indoor healthcare settings, studies are scarce on air surveillance of the virus in outdoor non-healthcare environments, including the correlations between SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses, between viruses and environmental factors, and between viruses and human behavior changes due to the public health measures against COVID-19. Therefore, in this study, we collected airborne particulate matter (PM) samples from November 2019 to April 2020 in Bern, Lugano, and Zurich. Among 14 detected viruses, influenza A, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-HKU1, and HCoV-229E were abundant in air. SARS-CoV-2 and enterovirus were moderately common, while the remaining viruses occurred only in low concentrations. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in PM10 (PM below 10 µm) samples of Bern and Zurich, and PM2.5 (PM below 2.5 µm) samples of Bern which exhibited a concentration positively correlated with the local COVID-19 case number. The concentration was also correlated with the concentration of enterovirus which raised the concern of coinfection. The estimated COVID-19 infection risks of an hour exposure at these two sites were generally low but still cannot be neglected. Our study demonstrated the potential functionality of outdoor air surveillance of airborne respiratory viruses, especially at transportation hubs and traffic arteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yile Tao
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland; Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Xiaole Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland; Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Guangyu Qiu
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland; Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Martin Spillmann
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland; Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Zheng Ji
- School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland; Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland.
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Izzotti A, Grasselli E, Barbaresi M, Bixio M, Colombo M, Pfeffer U, Pulliero A, Sossai D, Borneto A, Boccaccio A, Manfredi V, Bassetti M, Nicosia E, Tiso M. Development of an integrated environmental monitoring protocol for SARS-CoV-2 contamination. Applications at the IRCSS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital in Genoa, Italy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 209:112790. [PMID: 35104484 PMCID: PMC8800503 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND Environmental sampling of SARS-CoV-2 is a fundamental tool for evaluating the effectiveness of non-specific prophylaxis measures in counteracting virus spread. The purpose of our work was to evaluate the effectiveness of the different sampling methods in the hospital setting to assess their correlation with the structural, functional, and operational situation of the monitored departments and to define the dynamics of the spread of the virus in indoor environments. METHODS The monitoring (air bubbling sampling, surface wipe test) was carried out at the San Martino Polyclinic Hospital (Genoa, Italy) in the period since April 2020 to June 2021. The presence of viral RNA in the collected samples was evaluated by qPCR. The infection capacity of the samples collected was also evaluated by an in vitro challenge test on cells sensitive to SARS-CoV-2 infection. RESULTS The percentage of positivity with respect to the number of tests performed (sensitivity) were air bubbler 50%, wipe test 17%, and challenge test 11%. Only 20% of the samples tested positive in the wipe test and 43% of the samples tested positive in the bubbler sampling were also positive in the challenge test. All the positivity obtained was detected at a distance of less than 2 m and height of less than 1.5 from COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSIONS Environmental contamination from SARS-CoV-2 detected at the San Martino Polyclinic Hospital is found lower than similar assessments performed in other hospitals both in Italy and abroad. Our study predicted that environmental monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 must be carried out in an integrated way by not using a single sampling method, as each individual test has a different biological significance and performance. However, the virus detected by wipe test only is often a degraded viral fragment and not an intact infecting virion.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Izzotti
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy; Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Italy.
| | - E Grasselli
- Life Sciences Department, University of Genoa, Italy.
| | - M Barbaresi
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
| | - M Bixio
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
| | - M Colombo
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
| | - U Pfeffer
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
| | - A Pulliero
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy.
| | - D Sossai
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
| | - A Borneto
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
| | | | | | - M Bassetti
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy; Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy.
| | - E Nicosia
- Environmental Department, Ligurian Region, Italy.
| | - M Tiso
- Life Sciences Department, University of Genoa, Italy; MICAMO Environmental and Molecular Microbiology - Spin-Off University of Genoa, Italy.
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Buonanno G, Robotto A, Brizio E, Morawska L, Civra A, Corino F, Lembo D, Ficco G, Stabile L. Link between SARS-CoV-2 emissions and airborne concentrations: Closing the gap in understanding. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 428:128279. [PMID: 35063838 PMCID: PMC8760841 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remains surprisingly controversial; indeed, health and regulatory authorities still require direct proof of this mode of transmission. To close this gap, we measured the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 of an infected subject in a hospital room (through an oral and nasopharyngeal swab), as well as the airborne SARS-CoV-2 concentration in the room resulting from the person breathing and speaking. Moreover, we simulated the same scenarios to estimate the concentration of RNA copies in the air through a novel theoretical approach and conducted a comparative analysis between experimental and theoretical results. Results showed that for an infected subject's viral load ranging between 2.4 × 106 and 5.5 × 106 RNA copies mL-1, the corresponding airborne SARS-CoV-2 concentration was below the minimum detection threshold when the person was breathing, and 16.1 (expanded uncertainty of 32.8) RNA copies m-3 when speaking. The application of the predictive approach provided concentrations metrologically compatible with the available experimental data (i.e. for speaking activity). Thus, the study presented significant evidence to close the gap in understanding airborne transmission, given that the airborne SARS-CoV-2 concentration was shown to be directly related to the SARS-CoV-2 emitted. Moreover, the theoretical analysis was shown to be able to quantitatively link the airborne concentration to the emission.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Buonanno
- Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino, FR, Italy; International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - A Robotto
- Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (ARPA Piemonte), Italy; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - E Brizio
- Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (ARPA Piemonte), Italy; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - L Morawska
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - A Civra
- Dept. of Clinical and Biological Science, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria San Luigi Gonzaga, University of Turin, Italy; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - F Corino
- Environmental Protection Agency of Piedmont (ARPA Piemonte), Italy; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - D Lembo
- Dept. of Clinical and Biological Science, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria San Luigi Gonzaga, University of Turin, Italy; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - G Ficco
- Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino, FR, Italy; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - L Stabile
- Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino, FR, Italy; Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, Amedeo di Savoia Hospital, University of Turin, Torino, Italy.
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10
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SARS-CoV-2 RNA Recovery from Air Sampled on Quartz Fiber Filters: A Matter of Sample Preservation? ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13020340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
The airborne route of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed by the World Health Organization in April 2021. There is an urge to establish standardized protocols for assessing the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in air samples to support risk assessment, especially in indoor environments. Debates on the airborne transmission route of SARS-CoV-2 have been complicated because, among the studies testing the presence of the virus in the air, the percentage of positive samples has often been very low. In the present study, we report preliminary results on a study for the evaluation of parameters that can influence SARS-CoV-2 RNA recovery from quartz fiber filters spotted either by standard single-stranded SARS-CoV-2 RNA or by inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virions. The analytes were spiked on filters and underwent an active or passive sampling; then, they were preserved at −80 °C for different numbers of days (0 to 54) before extraction and analysis. We found a mean recovery of 2.43%, except for the sample not preserved (0 days) that showed a recovery of 13.51%. We found a relationship between the number of days and the recovery percentage. The results presented show a possible issue that relates to the quartz matrix and SARS-CoV-2 RNA recovery. The results are in accordance with the already published studies that described similar methods for SARS-CoV-2 RNA field sampling and that reported non-detectable concentrations of RNA. These outcomes could be false negatives due to sample preservation conditions. Thus, until further investigation, we suggest, as possible alternatives, to keep the filters: (i) in a sealed container for preservation at 4 °C; and (ii) in a viral transport medium for preservation at a temperature below 0 °C.
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