This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Verreault, D.
Right arrow Articles by Duchaine, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Verreault, D.
Right arrow Articles by Duchaine, C.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, September 2008, p. 413-444, Vol. 72, No. 3
1092-2172/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/MMBR.00002-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Methods for Sampling of Airborne Viruses

Daniel Verreault,1 Sylvain Moineau,2,3 and Caroline Duchaine1,2*

Centre de Recherche, Hôpital Laval, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de l'Université Laval, 2725 Chemin Ste.-Foy, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada G1V 4G5,1 Département de Biochimie et de Microbiologie, Faculté des Sciences et de Génie, Université Laval, Pavillon Alexandre-Vachon, 1045 Avenue de la Medecine, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada G1V 0A6,2 Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Buccale (GREB) and Félix d'Hérelle Reference Center for Bacterial Viruses, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Laval, Pavillon de Medecine Dentaire, 2420 rue de la Terrasse, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada G1V 0A63

Summary: To better understand the underlying mechanisms of aerovirology, accurate sampling of airborne viruses is fundamental. The sampling instruments commonly used in aerobiology have also been used to recover viruses suspended in the air. We reviewed over 100 papers to evaluate the methods currently used for viral aerosol sampling. Differentiating infections caused by direct contact from those caused by airborne dissemination can be a very demanding task given the wide variety of sources of viral aerosols. While epidemiological data can help to determine the source of the contamination, direct data obtained from air samples can provide very useful information for risk assessment purposes. Many types of samplers have been used over the years, including liquid impingers, solid impactors, filters, electrostatic precipitators, and many others. The efficiencies of these samplers depend on a variety of environmental and methodological factors that can affect the integrity of the virus structure. The aerodynamic size distribution of the aerosol also has a direct effect on sampler efficiency. Viral aerosols can be studied under controlled laboratory conditions, using biological or nonbiological tracers and surrogate viruses, which are also discussed in this review. Lastly, general recommendations are made regarding future studies on the sampling of airborne viruses.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Centre de Recherche, Hôpital Laval, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie, 2725 Chemin Ste.-Foy, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada G1V 4G5. Phone: (418) 656-8711, ext. 5837. Fax: (418) 656-4509. E-mail: caroline.duchaine{at}bcm.ulaval.ca

Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, September 2008, p. 413-444, Vol. 72, No. 3
1092-2172/08/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/MMBR.00002-08
Copyright © 2008, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»