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Food Environ Virol. 2019 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s12560-019-09404-1. [Epub ahead of print]
Airborne Transmission of Influenza Virus in a Hospital of Qinhuangdao During 2017-2018 Flu Season.
Zhao X1,2, Nie W3, Zhou C4,2, Cheng M5, Wang C6, Liu Y7, Li J1,8, Qian Y9, Ma X1, Zhang L1, Li L1, Hu K10.
Author information
1 Institute of Health Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing, China. 2 Key Laboratory of Microorganism Technology and Bioinformatics Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. 3 Qinhuangdao Customs District, Qinhuangdao, China. 4 Hangzhou Customs District, Hangzhou, China. 5 Hubei International Travel Health Care Center, Wuhan, China. 6 Yangzhou Customs District, Yangzhou, China. 7 Shannxi International Travel Healthcare Center, Xi'an, China. 8 School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. 9 Qinhuangdao Inspection and Quarantine Technique Centre, Qinhuangdao, China. 10 Institute of Health Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing, China. kongxinhu@sina.com.
Abstract
The 2017-2018 flu season is considered to be one of the most severe, with numerous influenza outbreaks worldwide. In an infectious disease hospital of Qinhuangdao, air samples were collected daily from outpatient hall, clinical laboratory, fever clinic, children's ward (Children's Ward I/Children's Ward II), and adult ward during 23-29 January 2018 (peak flu activity) and 9-15 April 2018 (low flu activity). The air samples were collected with SLC-SiOH magnetic beads using impingement samplers. Real-time PCR assay was used to detect the RNA of airborne influenza (IFVA and IFVB) in the 91 collected aerosol samples. The results indicated that the air samples collected from the children's wards, adult ward and fever clinic were detected with airborne influenza viruses. However, the samples collected from outpatient hall and clinical laboratory were absence of influenza viruses. In addition, the subtypes of pH1N1/IFVA, H3N2/IFVA, yamagata/IFVB, and victoria/IFVB were detected among the samples with positive IFVA and IFVB. Notably, a new developed subtype of pH1N1 (an epidemic in 2018) was detected in the aerosol samples. In summary, this study profiled the distribution of airborne influenza in an infectious hospital in Qinhuangdao during 2017-2018 flu season. Patients infected with influenza could release airborne particles containing the virus into their environment. Healthcare workers and visitors in those places might have frequent exposure to airborne influenza virus. Therefore, we recommend some protective measures such as air disinfection and mask wearing to prevent and control the transmission of airborne influenza in hospital.
KEYWORDS:
Bioaerosols; Flu season; Influenza virus; Nosocomial transmission
PMID: 31549297 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-019-09404-1
Airborne Transmission of Influenza Virus in a Hospital of Qinhuangdao During 2017-2018 Flu Season.
Zhao X1,2, Nie W3, Zhou C4,2, Cheng M5, Wang C6, Liu Y7, Li J1,8, Qian Y9, Ma X1, Zhang L1, Li L1, Hu K10.
Author information
1 Institute of Health Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing, China. 2 Key Laboratory of Microorganism Technology and Bioinformatics Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. 3 Qinhuangdao Customs District, Qinhuangdao, China. 4 Hangzhou Customs District, Hangzhou, China. 5 Hubei International Travel Health Care Center, Wuhan, China. 6 Yangzhou Customs District, Yangzhou, China. 7 Shannxi International Travel Healthcare Center, Xi'an, China. 8 School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China. 9 Qinhuangdao Inspection and Quarantine Technique Centre, Qinhuangdao, China. 10 Institute of Health Quarantine, Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine, Beijing, China. kongxinhu@sina.com.
Abstract
The 2017-2018 flu season is considered to be one of the most severe, with numerous influenza outbreaks worldwide. In an infectious disease hospital of Qinhuangdao, air samples were collected daily from outpatient hall, clinical laboratory, fever clinic, children's ward (Children's Ward I/Children's Ward II), and adult ward during 23-29 January 2018 (peak flu activity) and 9-15 April 2018 (low flu activity). The air samples were collected with SLC-SiOH magnetic beads using impingement samplers. Real-time PCR assay was used to detect the RNA of airborne influenza (IFVA and IFVB) in the 91 collected aerosol samples. The results indicated that the air samples collected from the children's wards, adult ward and fever clinic were detected with airborne influenza viruses. However, the samples collected from outpatient hall and clinical laboratory were absence of influenza viruses. In addition, the subtypes of pH1N1/IFVA, H3N2/IFVA, yamagata/IFVB, and victoria/IFVB were detected among the samples with positive IFVA and IFVB. Notably, a new developed subtype of pH1N1 (an epidemic in 2018) was detected in the aerosol samples. In summary, this study profiled the distribution of airborne influenza in an infectious hospital in Qinhuangdao during 2017-2018 flu season. Patients infected with influenza could release airborne particles containing the virus into their environment. Healthcare workers and visitors in those places might have frequent exposure to airborne influenza virus. Therefore, we recommend some protective measures such as air disinfection and mask wearing to prevent and control the transmission of airborne influenza in hospital.
KEYWORDS:
Bioaerosols; Flu season; Influenza virus; Nosocomial transmission
PMID: 31549297 DOI: 10.1007/s12560-019-09404-1