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Sources of Airborne Norovirus in Hospital Outbreaks

Alsved, Malin LU orcid ; Fraenkel, Carl-Johan LU ; Bohgard, Mats LU ; Widell, Anders LU ; Söderlund-Strand, Anna LU ; Lanbeck, Peter LU ; Holmdahl, Torsten LU ; Isaxon, Christina LU ; Gudmundsson, Anders LU and Medstrand, Patrik LU orcid , et al. (2020) In Clinical Infectious Diseases 70(10). p.2023-2028
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Noroviruses are the major cause of viral gastroenteritis. Disease transmission is difficult to prevent and outbreaks in healthcare facilities commonly occur. Contact with infected persons and contaminated environments are believed to be the main routes of transmission. However, noroviruses have recently been found in aerosols and airborne transmission has been suggested. The aim of our study was to investigate associations between symptoms of gastroenteritis and presence of airborne norovirus, and to investigate the size of norovirus carrying particles.

METHODS: Air sampling was repeatedly performed close to 26 patients with norovirus infections. Samples were analysed for norovirus RNA by RT-qPCR. The times since the... (More)

BACKGROUND: Noroviruses are the major cause of viral gastroenteritis. Disease transmission is difficult to prevent and outbreaks in healthcare facilities commonly occur. Contact with infected persons and contaminated environments are believed to be the main routes of transmission. However, noroviruses have recently been found in aerosols and airborne transmission has been suggested. The aim of our study was to investigate associations between symptoms of gastroenteritis and presence of airborne norovirus, and to investigate the size of norovirus carrying particles.

METHODS: Air sampling was repeatedly performed close to 26 patients with norovirus infections. Samples were analysed for norovirus RNA by RT-qPCR. The times since the patients' last episodes of vomiting and diarrhoea were recorded. Size separating aerosol particle collection was also performed in ward corridors.

RESULTS: Norovirus RNA was found in 21 (24%) of 86 air samples from 10 different patients. Only air samples during outbreaks, or before a succeeding outbreak, tested positive for norovirus RNA. Airborne norovirus RNA was also strongly associated with a shorter time period since the last vomiting episode (odds ratio 8.1, p=0.04 within 3 hours since the last vomiting episode). The concentration of airborne norovirus ranged from 5-215 copies/m3, and detectable amounts of norovirus RNA were found in particles <0.95 µm and >4.51 µm.

CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that recent vomiting is the major source of airborne norovirus and imply a connection between airborne norovirus and outbreaks. The presence of norovirus RNA in submicrometre particles indicates that airborne transmission can be an important transmission route.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Clinical Infectious Diseases
volume
70
issue
10
pages
6 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85074828601
  • pmid:31257413
ISSN
1537-6591
DOI
10.1093/cid/ciz584
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
id
7f5ef279-b55a-461d-92ba-bac8abe0c280
date added to LUP
2019-09-25 14:51:58
date last changed
2024-04-16 19:52:15
@article{7f5ef279-b55a-461d-92ba-bac8abe0c280,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Noroviruses are the major cause of viral gastroenteritis. Disease transmission is difficult to prevent and outbreaks in healthcare facilities commonly occur. Contact with infected persons and contaminated environments are believed to be the main routes of transmission. However, noroviruses have recently been found in aerosols and airborne transmission has been suggested. The aim of our study was to investigate associations between symptoms of gastroenteritis and presence of airborne norovirus, and to investigate the size of norovirus carrying particles.</p><p>METHODS: Air sampling was repeatedly performed close to 26 patients with norovirus infections. Samples were analysed for norovirus RNA by RT-qPCR. The times since the patients' last episodes of vomiting and diarrhoea were recorded. Size separating aerosol particle collection was also performed in ward corridors.</p><p>RESULTS: Norovirus RNA was found in 21 (24%) of 86 air samples from 10 different patients. Only air samples during outbreaks, or before a succeeding outbreak, tested positive for norovirus RNA. Airborne norovirus RNA was also strongly associated with a shorter time period since the last vomiting episode (odds ratio 8.1, p=0.04 within 3 hours since the last vomiting episode). The concentration of airborne norovirus ranged from 5-215 copies/m3, and detectable amounts of norovirus RNA were found in particles &lt;0.95 µm and &gt;4.51 µm.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that recent vomiting is the major source of airborne norovirus and imply a connection between airborne norovirus and outbreaks. The presence of norovirus RNA in submicrometre particles indicates that airborne transmission can be an important transmission route.</p>}},
  author       = {{Alsved, Malin and Fraenkel, Carl-Johan and Bohgard, Mats and Widell, Anders and Söderlund-Strand, Anna and Lanbeck, Peter and Holmdahl, Torsten and Isaxon, Christina and Gudmundsson, Anders and Medstrand, Patrik and Böttiger, Blenda and Löndahl, Jakob}},
  issn         = {{1537-6591}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{2023--2028}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Clinical Infectious Diseases}},
  title        = {{Sources of Airborne Norovirus in Hospital Outbreaks}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciz584}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/cid/ciz584}},
  volume       = {{70}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}