Detection of Bordetella pertussis and respiratory synctial virus in air samples from hospital rooms.

Objective: To evaluate the distribution of Bordetella pertussis and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the hospital setting.

Design: Air samples were collected using filters in the hospital rooms of 12 children with pertussis and 27 children with RSV infection. Material eluted from these filters was subjected to RSV- and B pertussis-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification.

Setting: Patients were hospitalized in private rooms in one of two referral centers, a university teaching hospital and a university-affiliated private children's hospital.

Patients: 12 children (16 days-3 years of age) with documented pertussis infection and 27 patients (10 days-7 years of age) with documented RSV infection.

Results: B pertussis DNA was detected in 7 (58%) of 12 rooms housing pertussis patients and in 16 (25%) of 63 total samples. B pertussis DNA was detected as far as 4 m away from the patient's bedside. The detection of B pertussis DNA in air samples did not change over the short duration of hospitalization. RSV RNA was detected in 17 (63%) of 27 rooms housing RSV-infected patients and in 32 (22%) of 143 total samples. RSV RNA was detected at distances as far as 7 m from the patient's bedside and for up to 7 days of hospitalization.

Conclusions: Using PCR-based detection methods, B pertussis DNA and RSV RNA both can be detected in air samples from the hospital rooms of infected patients. Both can be detected at large distances from a patient's bedside in a minority of cases. These detection methods are suitable for further studies of control measures used to contain nosocomial infections caused by both B pertussis and RSV.