AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Understanding Aerosolized Viral Particles Behaviour in a Mechanically Ventilated Agricultural Building Using Nebulized Bacteriophages
MARTYNE AUDET, Matthieu Girard, Martin Belzile, Stéphane Godbout, Caroline Duchaine, Centre de recherche de l'IUCPQ, Université Laval
Abstract Number: 366 Working Group: Bioaerosols: Characterization and Environmental Impact
Abstract Dissemination of viral pathogens via airborne particles is a known phenomenon. In agriculture, indoor air of livestock confinement buildings holds a high concentration of bioaerosols that may be dispersed to neighbouring sites through ventilation systems. Control of pathogenic viruses remains to this day a major concern for the health of agricultural workers and animals, as well as for the great negative economic impact epidemics inflict on the industries. The development of methods for virus detection in the air of agricultural buildings that are fast, simple, reliable, ecologically sound and without risk for animal health is urgent. As aerovirologists, our laboratory has collaborated with a group of agricultural engineers to tackle this problem. A 55 m3 mechanically ventilated experimental confinement building was used to develop a tool to improve air sampling strategies by assessing the spatial concentration variations of an artificially nebulized virus and a fluorescent marker. Firstly, air displacements were visualized by video recorded smoke tests. Potential dead zones leading to longer particle residence time were assessed by 10 blinded individuals. Secondly, bacteriophages in a fluorescent solution (NSF60) were nebulized as animal virus surrogates and air was sampled in 12 different locations in the room. Thirdly, analyses of representative air samples by fluorescence microscopy and molecular biology were performed. So far, we have determined a critical area of 3,5 ± 1,5 m3 where the viral particles are more likely to stay in suspension and be detected. The next step of this investigation is to co-nebulize the fluorescent bacteriophage suspension with standardized ISO test dusts in elevated concentrations to imitate the agricultural context. In the near future, molecular diagnostic tests will be available to the agricultural industry. Simply nebulizing a fluorescent bacteriophage solution in a real setting might lead to the determination of the most suitable area for surveillance air sampling.