Concentration and detection of SARS coronavirus in sewage from Xiao Tang Shan Hospital and the 309th Hospital.
The transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is associated with close contact to SARS patients and droplet secretions of those patients. The finding of positive RT-PCR results from stools of SARS patients suggests that stools of SARS patients or sewage containing stools of patients could transmit SARS-CoV. We used a novel style of electropositive filter media particle to concentrate the SARS-CoV from the sewage of two hospitals receiving SARS patients in Beijing. We also used cell culture, RT-PCR and gene sequencing to detect and identify the viruses from sewage. No infectious SARS-CoV contamination was found in any of the samples collected, but the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV could be detected in the sewage from the two hospitals before disinfection. While the RNA was only detected in three samples from the 309th Hospital, the others were negative after disinfection. These findings provide strong evidence that SARS-CoV can be excreted through the stool/urine of patients into sewage system, thus making the sewage system a possible route of transmission.
Wang
Xin-Wei
XW
Tianjin Institute of Environment and Health, 1 Da Li Road, Tianjin 300050, PR China.
Li
Jin-Song
JS
Guo
Ting-Kai
TK
Zhen
Bei
B
Kong
Qing-Xin
QX
Yi
Bin
B
Li
Zhong
Z
Song
Nong
N
Jin
Min
M
Xiao
Wen-Jun
WJ
Zhu
Xiu-Mei
XM
Gu
Chang-Qing
CQ
Yin
Jing
J
Wei
Wei
W
Yao
Wei
W
Liu
Chao
C
Li
Jian-Feng
JF
Ou
Guo-Rong
GR
Wang
Min-Nian
MN
Fang
Tong-Yu
TY
Wang
Gui-Jie
GJ
Qiu
Yao-Hui
YH
Wu
Huai-Huan
HH
Chao
Fu-Huan
FH
Li
Jun-Wen
JW
D002681:China; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005374:Filtration / Q000379:methods; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D012722:Sewage / Q000821:virology*; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods; D014776:Virus Cultivation
D012722:Sewage