Quantification of influenza virus RNA in aerosols in pediatrics patient rooms

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Children are considered as the key driver of influenza transmission, and the potential for human influenza viruses to spread through fine particle aerosols from children remains controversial. The objective of our study was to determine whether influenza viruses could be detected in fine particles in hospital pediatrics patient rooms. METHOD: We sampled the air in 5-bed pediatrics patient rooms for four hours, placing two cyclone air samplers at different distances from the bed with pediatrics patient with laboratory-confirmed influenza infection. We collected air samples in 3 size fractions, and tested the samples by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: We collected air samples in 10 occasions with at least one pediatrics patient with laboratory-confirmed influenza infection in the patient room. We recovered influenza A virus RNA from 7/10 collections (70%): influenza A virus RNA can be recovered in particles>4µm in 7/10, in particles 1-4µm in 3/10, and in particles<1µm in 4/10 collections. CONCLUSION: Frequent detection of influenza virus RNA in aerosols in the proximity of pediatric patients suggests that children could have an important contribution to influenza transmission via the aerosol route.