SARS-CoV-2 in the Air Surrounding Patients during Nebulizer Therapy
Nebulizer therapy is commonly used for patients with obstructive pulmonary disease or acute pulmonary infections with signs of obstruction. It is considered a “potential aerosol-generating procedure,” and the risk of disease transmission to health care workers is uncertain. The aim of this pilot stu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/9297974 |
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| _version_ | 1849412767132418048 |
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| author | Jostein Gohli Arne Broch Brantsæter Kari Oline Bøifot Carola Grub Beathe Kiland Granerud Jan Cato Holter Anne Margarita Dyrhol Riise Madelen Foss Smedholen Marius Dybwad |
| author_facet | Jostein Gohli Arne Broch Brantsæter Kari Oline Bøifot Carola Grub Beathe Kiland Granerud Jan Cato Holter Anne Margarita Dyrhol Riise Madelen Foss Smedholen Marius Dybwad |
| author_sort | Jostein Gohli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nebulizer therapy is commonly used for patients with obstructive pulmonary disease or acute pulmonary infections with signs of obstruction. It is considered a “potential aerosol-generating procedure,” and the risk of disease transmission to health care workers is uncertain. The aim of this pilot study was to assess whether nebulizer therapy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients is associated with increased dispersion of SARS-CoV-2. Air samples collected prior to and during nebulizer therapy were analyzed by RT-PCR and cell culture. Total aerosol particle concentrations were also quantified. Of 13 patients, seven had quantifiable virus in oropharynx samples, and only two had RT-PCR positive air samples. For both these patients, air samples collected during nebulizer therapy had higher SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations compared to control air samples. Also, for particle sizes 0.3–5 µm, particle concentrations were significantly higher during nebulizer therapy than in controls. We were unable to cultivate virus from any of the RT-PCR positive air samples, and it is therefore unknown if the detected virus were replication-competent; however, the significant increase in smaller particles, which can remain airborne for extended periods of time, and increased viral RNA concentrations during treatment may indicate that nebulizer therapy is associated with increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-54e613633d4946029cbc7e9ff6d94f90 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1918-1493 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-54e613633d4946029cbc7e9ff6d94f902025-08-20T03:34:21ZengWileyCanadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology1918-14932022-01-01202210.1155/2022/9297974SARS-CoV-2 in the Air Surrounding Patients during Nebulizer TherapyJostein Gohli0Arne Broch Brantsæter1Kari Oline Bøifot2Carola Grub3Beathe Kiland Granerud4Jan Cato Holter5Anne Margarita Dyrhol Riise6Madelen Foss Smedholen7Marius Dybwad8Norwegian Defence Research EstablishmentDepartment of Infectious DiseasesNorwegian Defence Research EstablishmentInstitute of MicrobiologyDepartment of MicrobiologyDepartment of MicrobiologyDepartment of Infectious DiseasesOslo University HospitalNorwegian Defence Research EstablishmentNebulizer therapy is commonly used for patients with obstructive pulmonary disease or acute pulmonary infections with signs of obstruction. It is considered a “potential aerosol-generating procedure,” and the risk of disease transmission to health care workers is uncertain. The aim of this pilot study was to assess whether nebulizer therapy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients is associated with increased dispersion of SARS-CoV-2. Air samples collected prior to and during nebulizer therapy were analyzed by RT-PCR and cell culture. Total aerosol particle concentrations were also quantified. Of 13 patients, seven had quantifiable virus in oropharynx samples, and only two had RT-PCR positive air samples. For both these patients, air samples collected during nebulizer therapy had higher SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations compared to control air samples. Also, for particle sizes 0.3–5 µm, particle concentrations were significantly higher during nebulizer therapy than in controls. We were unable to cultivate virus from any of the RT-PCR positive air samples, and it is therefore unknown if the detected virus were replication-competent; however, the significant increase in smaller particles, which can remain airborne for extended periods of time, and increased viral RNA concentrations during treatment may indicate that nebulizer therapy is associated with increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/9297974 |
| spellingShingle | Jostein Gohli Arne Broch Brantsæter Kari Oline Bøifot Carola Grub Beathe Kiland Granerud Jan Cato Holter Anne Margarita Dyrhol Riise Madelen Foss Smedholen Marius Dybwad SARS-CoV-2 in the Air Surrounding Patients during Nebulizer Therapy Canadian Journal of Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology |
| title | SARS-CoV-2 in the Air Surrounding Patients during Nebulizer Therapy |
| title_full | SARS-CoV-2 in the Air Surrounding Patients during Nebulizer Therapy |
| title_fullStr | SARS-CoV-2 in the Air Surrounding Patients during Nebulizer Therapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | SARS-CoV-2 in the Air Surrounding Patients during Nebulizer Therapy |
| title_short | SARS-CoV-2 in the Air Surrounding Patients during Nebulizer Therapy |
| title_sort | sars cov 2 in the air surrounding patients during nebulizer therapy |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/9297974 |
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