Electrostatic wipes as simple and reliable methods for influenza virus airborne detection

Area of Science:

• Environmental Virology
• Infectious Disease Diagnostics
• Molecular Detection Methods

Background:

• Accurate detection of airborne viruses is crucial for infection control.
• Electrostatic wipes (EWs) offer a potential medium for sample collection and preservation.
• Evaluating novel methods for virus detection in clinical settings is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the performance of an in-house protocol for virus detection using commercialized electrostatic wipes (EWs).
• To determine the recovery efficiency, repeatability, and detection limit of the protocol for cytomegalovirus, adenovirus, and influenza virus.
• To evaluate the stability of influenza RNA on EWs and its detectability in patient rooms.

Main Methods:

• Experimental impregnation of EWs with viral suspensions (cytomegalovirus, adenovirus, influenza virus).
• Assessment of protocol sensitivity, recovery efficiency, repeatability, and detection limits.
• Stability testing of influenza RNA on EWs at room temperature.
• Deployment of EWs in influenza-infected patients' rooms for airborne detection.

Main Results:

• The protocol demonstrated sensitivity, detecting as low as 4 log10 gene copies of virus.
• Influenza RNA remained stable on EWs for at least four days at room temperature.
• Influenza RNA was detected on 75% of EWs placed in patient rooms.

Conclusions:

• The in-house protocol using EWs is sensitive and repeatable for virus detection.
• EWs are a simple and reliable method for detecting airborne influenza virus in clinical environments.
• This approach can aid in monitoring viral transmission and implementing effective infection control measures.