title: Airborne stability of tailless bacterial viruses S-13 and MS-2.
abstract: The effect of relative humidity (RH) on the airborne stability of two small bacterial viruses, S-13 and MS-2, was studied. Poorest recovery of S-13 was obtained at 50% RH. Humidification prior to aerosol sampling significantly increased the recovery of S-13 at RH deleterious to the airborne virus. A commercial preparation of MS-2 suspended in a buffered saline solution showed a rapid loss of viability at RH above 30%, whereas a laboratory preparation containing 1.3% tryptone showed high recoveries at all RH studied. Dilution of the commercial MS-2 into tryptone broth conferred stability on the airborne virus. Humidification prior to sampling significantly reduced the viable recovery from aerosols of commercial MS-2, whereas the laboratory preparation was unaffected.
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D003090:Coliphages / Q000254:growth & development*; D003470:Culture Media; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006813:Humidity; D010461:Peptones; D014357:Trypsin; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D003470:Culture Media; D010461:Peptones; D014357:Trypsin