10th International Aerosol Conference September 2 - September 7, 2018 America's Center Convention Complex St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Abstract View
Aerosol Sampler Selection Impacts Quantification of Viable Burkholderia Pseudomallei
JILL TAYLOR, Michael Schuit, Paul Dabisch, BNBI / DHS NBACC
Abstract Number: 1592 Working Group: Infectious Bioaerosol
Abstract Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram negative bacteria found in soil and water in Northern Australia and Southeast Asia. B. pseudomallei has been detected in outdoor aerosols associated with specific contamination sources and down-wind cases of melioidosis, suggesting that inhalation of naturally-occurring aerosols containing the bacterium is a likely route of exposure. Previous field and laboratory studies have utilized both all-glass impingers and gelatin filters to measure viable airborne bacteria. However, it is known that aerosol samplers vary with respect to their ability to preserve the viability of collected microorganisms, depending on the relative resistance of the organisms to impaction, desiccation, or other stresses incurred during the sampling process. Therefore, to maximize the chance of detecting viable microorganisms in a field-sampling setting, it is critical to appropriately match the sampler to its target. The aim of the present study was to assess the performance of multiple commonly utilized aerosol samplers for sampling airborne B. pseudomallei, specifically the all-glass impinger, gelatin filter, midget impinger, and Mercer cascade impactor. Aerosolized B. pseudomallei was sampled with all four sampler types simultaneously. Preliminary results demonstrate that the average physical sampling efficiency, assessed using 1 µm fluorescent polystyrene beads in growth media, was significantly lower for the midget impinger when compared to the other samplers. Smaller, yet statistically significant differences between some of the other samplers were also noted. Additional testing to assess the biological sampling efficiency has been performed and results will be discussed. The results of the present study are useful to inform future studies in which the quantification of infectious airborne bacteria are necessary for exposure and risk assessment.
This work was funded under Contract No. HSHQDC-15-C-00064 awarded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) for the operation and management of the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), a Federally Funded Research and Development Center. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the DHS or S&T. In no event shall DHS, NBACC, S&T or Battelle National Biodefense Institute have any responsibility or liability for any use, misuse, inability to use, or reliance upon the information contained herein. DHS does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication.