Measurement of airborne influenza virus in a hospital emergency department.
Size-fractionated aerosol particles were collected in a hospital emergency department to test for airborne influenza virus. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction, we confirmed the presence of airborne influenza virus and found that 53% of detectable influenza virus particles were within the respirable aerosol fraction. Our results provide evidence that influenza virus may spread through the airborne route.
Blachere
Francoise M
FM
Division of Health Effects Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, USA. FBlachere@cdc.gov
Lindsley
William G
WG
Pearce
Terri A
TA
Anderson
Stacey E
SE
Fisher
Melanie
M
Khakoo
Rashida
R
Meade
Barbara J
BJ
Lander
Owen
O
Davis
Stephen
S
Thewlis
Robert E
RE
Celik
Ismail
I
Chen
Bean T
BT
Beezhold
Donald H
DH
D000336:Aerosols; D000391:Air Microbiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000336:Aerosols