[Detection of RNA of SARS coronavirus in hospital sewage].
OBJECTIVE
In order to explore the existence of SARS coronavirus (Co-V) and/or its RNA in sewage of hospitals administered SARS patients.


METHODS
A novel electropositive filter was used to concentrate the SARS-CoV from the sewage of two hospitals administered SARS patients in Beijing, including twelve 2,500 ml sewage samples from the hospitals before disinfection, and ten 25,000 ml samples after disinfection; as well as cell culture, RT-PCR and sequencing of gene to detect and identify the viruses from sewage.


RESULTS
There was no live SARS-CoV detected in the sewage in this study. The nucleic acid of SARS-CoV had been found in the 12 sewage samples before disinfection from both hospitals by semi-nested PCR. After disinfection, SARS-CoV RNA could only be detected from the samples from the 309th Hospital, and the others were negative.


CONCLUSIONS
It provides evidence that there is no live SARS-Cov in the sewage from hospitals with SARS patients though SARS-CoV RNA can be detected.
Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, 300050 Tianjin, China.
Xin-Wei
XW
Wang
Jin-Song
JS
Li
Ting-Kai
TK
Guo
Bei
B
Zhen
Qing-Xin
QX
Kong
Bang
B
Yi
Zhong
Z
Li
Nong
N
Song
Min
M
Jin
Wen-Jun
WJ
Xiao
Xiu-Mei
XM
Zhu
Chang-Qing
CQ
Gu
Jing
J
Yin
Wei
W
Wei
Wei
W
Yao
Chao
C
Liu
Jian-Feng
JF
Li
Guo-Rong
GR
Ou
Min-Nian
MN
Wang
Tong-Yu
TY
Fang
Gui-Jie
GJ
Wang
Yao-Hui
YH
Qiu
Huai-Huan
HH
Wu
Fu-Huan
FH
Chao
Jun-Wen
JW
Li
D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000032:analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D012722:Sewage / Q000821:virology*
D012367:RNA, Viral; D012722:Sewage