6 research outputs found
Incidence of influenza virus infections in children in Hong Kong in a 3-year randomized placebo-controlled vaccine study, 2009-2012
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Quantification of influenza virus RNA in aerosols in pediatrics patient rooms
Poster Sessions: no. P-101BACKGROUND: 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