Investigation of air dispersal during a rhinovirus outbreak in a pediatric intensive care unit.

Background: While airborne transmission of rhinovirus is recognized in indoor settings, its role in hospital transmission remains unclear.

Methods: We investigated an outbreak of rhinovirus in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) to assess air dispersal. We collected clinical, environmental, and air samples, and staff's surgical masks for viral load and phylogenetic analysis.

Application of a dual target PCR-high resolution melting (HRM) method for rapid nontuberculous mycobacteria identification.

Species differentiation of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has long been a difficult task in clinical laboratories. This study demonstrated and evaluated a simple and cost-effective method using the real-time PCR with high-resolution melting (PCR-HRM) analysis technique, which could differentiate at least 14 different medically related NTM.