Hostname: page-component-8678677fb7-n2cvw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-10-24T06:44:36.023Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Detection of Bordetella pertussis and Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Air Samples From Hospital Rooms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Nectar Aintablian ,
Pramila Walpita  and
Mark H. Sawyer
Nectar Aintablian
Affiliation:
University of California, Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego, California
Pramila Walpita
Affiliation:
University of California, Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego, California
Mark H. Sawyer*
Affiliation:
University of California, Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego, California
*
University of California, San Diego, Department of Pediatrics, 9500 Gilman Dr, #0927, La Jolla, CA 92093-0927
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

To evaluate the distribution of Bordetella pertussis and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the hospital setting.

Design:

Air samples were collected using filters in the hospital rooms of 12 children with pertussis and 27 children with RSV infection. Material eluted from these filters was subjected to RSV- and B pertussis-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification.

Setting:

Patients were hospitalized in private rooms in one of two referral centers, a university teaching hospital and a university-affiliated private children's hospital.

Patients:

12 children (16 days-3 years of age) with documented pertussis infection and 27 patients (10 days-7 years of age) with documented RSV infection.

Results:

B pertussis DNA was detected in 7 (58%) of 12 rooms housing pertussis patients and in 16 (25%) of 63 total samples. B pertussis DNA was detected as far as 4 m away from the patient's bedside. The detection of B pertussis DNA in air samples did not change over the short duration of hospitalization. RSV RNA was detected in 17 (63%) of 27 rooms housing RSV-infected patients and in 32 (22%) of 143 total samples. RSV RNA was detected at distances as far as 7 m from the patient's bedside and for up to 7 days of hospitalization.

Conclusions:

Using PCR-based detection methods, B pertussis DNA and RSV RNA both can be detected in air samples from the hospital rooms of infected patients. Both can be detected at large distances from a patient's bedside in a minority of cases. These detection methods are suitable for further studies of control measures used to contain nosocomial infections caused by both B pertussis and RSV.

Information

Type
Original Articles
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 19 , Issue 12 , December 1998 , pp. 918 - 923
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 1998 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1. Farizo, KM, Cochi, SL, Zell, ER, Brink, EW, Wassilak, SG, Patriarca, PA. Epidemiological features of pertussis in the United States, 1980-1989. Clin Infect Dis 1992;14:708–719.Google Scholar
2. Hall, CB. Respiratory syncytial virus. In: Feigin, RD, Cherry, JD, eds. Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Vol. III. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Co; 1992:1633–1656.Google Scholar
3. Thomas, MG. Epidemiology of pertussis. Rev Infect Dis 1989;11:255–262.Google Scholar
4. Nelson, JD. The changing epidemiology of pertussis in young infants. The role of adults as a reservoir of infection. Am J Dis Child 1978;132:371–373.Google Scholar
5. Kurt, TI, Yeager, AS, Guenette, S, Dunlop, S. Spread of pertussis by hospital staff. JAMA 1972;2221:264–267.Google Scholar
6. Valenti, WM, Pincus, PH, Messner, MK. Nosocomial pertussis: possible spread by a hospital visitor. Am J Dis Child 1980;134:520–521.Google Scholar
7. Hall, CB, Geiman, JM, Biggar, R, Kotok, DI, Hogan, PM, Douglas, GR. Respiratory syncytial virus infections within families. N Engl J Med 1976;294:414–419.Google Scholar
8. Goldmann, DA. Nosocomial viral infections: recent developments and new strategies. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 1989;8(1):75–81.Google Scholar
9. Englund, JA, Sullivan, CJ, Jordan, MC, Dehner, LP, Vercillotti, GM, Balfour, HH Jr. Respiratory syncytial virus infection in immunocompromised adults. Ann Intern Med 1988;109:203–208.Google Scholar
10. American Academy of Pediatrics. Pertussis. In: Peter, G, ed. 1997 Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 24th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatircs; 1997:394–407.Google Scholar
11. Lambert, HJ. Epidemiology of a small pertussis outbreak in Kent County, Michigan. Public Health Rep 1965;80:365–369.Google Scholar
12. Hall, CB, Douglas, RG Jr. Modes of transmission of respiratory syncytial virus. J Pediatr 1981;99:100–103.Google Scholar
13. Sawyer, MH, Chamberlin, CJ, Wu, YN, Aintablian, N, Wallace, MR. Detection of varicella-zoster virus DNA in air samples from hospital rooms. J Infect Dis 1994;169:91–94.Google Scholar
14. Waecker, NJ, Shope, TR, Weber, PA, Buck, ML, Domingo, RC, Hooper, DG. The Rhino-Probe nasal curette for detecting respiratory syncytial virus in children. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1993;12:326–329.Google Scholar
15. Aintablian, N, Walpita, P, Sawyer, MH. Detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) RNA in air samples from hospital rooms of patients with RSV disease. Presented at the 33rd Annual Meeting of ICAAC; 1993; New Orleans, LA. Abstract.Google Scholar
16. Glare, EM, Paton, JC, Premier, RR, Lawrence, AJ, Nisbet, IT. Analysis of a Repetitive DNA sequence from Bordetella pertussis and its application to the diagnosis of pertussis using the polymerase chain reaction. J Clin Microbiol 1990;28:1982–1987.Google Scholar
17. Johnson, PR, Collins, PL. The 1B (NS2) and N proteins of human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) of antigenic subgroups A and B: sequence conservation and divergence within RSV genomic RNA. J Gen Virol 1989;70:1539–1547.Google Scholar
18. Wells, WF. Aerodynamics of droplet nuclei. In: Airborne Contagion and Air Hygiene: An Ecological Study of Droplet Infections. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; 1955:13–19.Google Scholar
19. Mertsola, J, Ruuskanen, O, Eerrola, E, Viljanen, MK. Intrafamilial spread of pertussis. J Pediatr 1983;103:359–363.Google Scholar
20. Lawson, GM. Epidemiology of whooping cough. Am J Dis Child 1933;46:1454–1455.Google Scholar
21. Bass, JW. Erythromycin for treatment and prevention of pertussis. Pediatr Infect Dis J 1986;5:154–157.Google Scholar
22. Sprauer, MA, Cochi, SL, Zell, ER, Sutter, RW, Mullen, JR, Englender, SJ, et al. Prevention of secondary transmission of pertussis in households with early use of erythromycin. Am J Dis Child 1992;146:177–181.Google Scholar
23. LeClair, JM, Freeman, J, Sullivan, BF, Crowley, CM, Goldmann, DA. Prevention of nosocomial respiratory syncytial virus infections through compliance with glove and gown precautions. N Engl J Med 1987;317:329–334.Google Scholar
24. Gala, CL, Hall, CB, Schnable, KC, Pincus, PH, Blossum, P, Hildreth, SW, et al. The use of eye-nose goggles to control nosocomial respiratory syncytial virus infection. JAMA 1986;256:2706–2708.Google Scholar
25. Agah, R, Cherry, JD, Garakian, AJ, Chapin, M: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection rate in personnel caring for children with RSV infections. Am J Dis Child 1987;141:695–697.Google Scholar
26. Hall, CB, Douglas, RJ, Geiman, JM. Quantitative shedding patterns of respiratory syncytial virus in infants. J Infect Dis 1975;132:151–156.Google Scholar
27. Hall, CB, Douglas, RJ, Geiman, JM. Respiratory syncytial virus infections in infants: quantitation and duration of shedding. J Pediatr 1976;89:11–15.Google Scholar