Abstract
Airborne biological particles are made by bacteria, viruses, fungi, pollen, dust mites and other living organisms. Between the airborne biological contaminants, the sampling of airborne viruses is the most difficult. This technical challenge has real consequences both in limiting the studies on the aerobiology of viral diseases, and in making possible, at least for now, to establish Standards for Acceptable Bioaerosol Exposure Limits in case of viruses. The circumstances and uncertainties in which we are living from the end of 2019, have demonstrated once again, the need of having common approaches in sampling, processing, and analysis of bioaerosol samples. Results from sampling indoor airborne viruses can be used both for identifying the airborne transmission of the respiratory viruses and for providing useful information as support in human health risk assessments. On the other hand, even if there are different sampling methods and equipment used for collecting bioaerosols, there are certain elements that must be considered in choosing the most appropriate sampling method to collect airborne viruses. The main challenge in sampling indoor airborne viruses is to identify the system that allows the sampling of bioaerosols ensuring in the same time the viability of the virus and the representativeness of the sample. Keeping in mind the lack of standardization in sampling indoor airborne viruses, as well as the missing of common approaches for air sampling strategies or sample treatment and analysis, the present work is focused on providing important recommendations as support in the concentrated effort of the researchers in developing of a common strategy for indoor viable bioaerosol sampling for virus detection.
Highlights
Bioaerosols containing biological material can include different components as bacterial cells and cellular fragments, fungi, pollens, viruses, allergens, by-products of microbial metabolism and others [1,2,3]
Important reasons for which at the beginning of the pandemic crisis there was a disagreement of the experts [15] and public health officials (WHO) [16] about airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 are because the preliminary studies were evidencing contradictory results
Filters were used by the Italian researchers for evidencing that SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be identified on particulate matter (PM), suggesting in this way a possible approach to be used as indicator of epidemic recurrence [34]
Summary
Bioaerosols containing biological material can include different components as bacterial cells and cellular fragments, fungi, pollens, viruses, allergens, by-products of microbial metabolism and others [1,2,3]. Biological aerosols could be generated both in outdoor and indoor environments [1] [3] having as origin different natural and anthropogenic sources, humans themselves being the most important aerosol source. These can be divided in viable bioaerosols (e.g. bacteria, fungi, viruses) and non-viable bioaerosols The assessment of occupational exposure of medical personnel could be ensured in appropriate and accurate conditions
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