Newswise — Montréal, April 19, 2023—Quebec scientists have succeeded in isolating infectious particles of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from air samples collected from hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients and kept frozen for more than a year, a new study shows.
The study was carried out by a group headed by Nathalie Grandvaux, a scientist at the CHUM Research Centre (CRCHUM) and a professor at the Université de Montréal, working together with the squads of Caroline Duchaine (Université Laval) and Yves Longtin (McGill University).
Released in Clinical Microbiology and Infection, the research offers understanding into a scientific realm that has received limited examination since the onset of the pandemic: the airborne spread of the COVID-19 virus.
"In our investigation, we demonstrate using an experimental framework that it is feasible to isolate and nurture contagious viruses from air specimens," Nathalie Grandvaux remarked. "This can be achieved even if specimens were collected more than a year ago, frozen, and preserved prior to cell culture."
If public health organizations, such as the World Health Organization, were sluggish in acknowledging the airborne transmission of the virus, it is partly attributed to inadequate scientific proof of the existence of infectious viral particles in aerosols.
"Conducting these studies is challenging," Nathalie Grandvaux explained, "since it is essential to conserve the virus's infectivity during the collection process, employ appropriate cell culture methodologies, and gain entry to a level 3 containment laboratory, such as the one at the CRCHUM."
A unique method
Audray Fortin, a scientist in Nathalie Grandvaux's squad and the study's primary author, devised a distinctive cell culture approach to increase minute amounts of viruses gathered by Caroline Duchaine, a Canadian bioaerosol expert, and her team.
This was another scientific accomplishment that necessitated the use of samplers - a set of collection tools that were positioned inside the chambers of COVID-19 patients - to maintain the virus's infectivity and safeguard it while in storage.
In all, 30 samples were collected during the study from 10 different rooms of patients with COVID-19, then stored frozen in a biobank for 14 months.
Using the aerosol samples from one patient’s room, the team of scientists was able to identify the presence of replicating virus particles.
"Due to our methodology, it is still feasible to retrospectively analyze the existence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in samples gathered throughout the various waves of the pandemic," Nathalie Grandvaux stated. "This information will assist us in comprehending the significance of the virus's airborne transmission and implementing tailored preventative tactics."
Better prepared for the next pandemic
She added that the discoveries could be utilized to prepare for the next pandemic, whether it be SARS-CoV-2 or another respiratory virus.
"Our study should raise consciousness of airborne contagious viruses. It advocates for the significance of targeting airborne transmission in personal and collective protection measures, which includes enhancing the quality of indoor air," she said.
The collection and culture technique can also be adapted to enclosed settings aside from hospitals, like schools, to assess air quality and assess the efficiency of protective measures against the airborne transmission of viruses.
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About this study
“Detection of viable SARS-CoV-2 in retrospective analysis of aerosol samples collected from hospital rooms of patients with COVID-19,” by Audray Fortin et al., was published online March 22, 2023, in Clinical Microbiology and Infection. The study was funded by the Fonds de Recherche du Québec-Santé and the Fondation du CHUM.
About the CRCHUM
The CHUM Research Centre (CRCHUM) is one of North America’s leading hospital research centres. It strives to improve the health of adults through a continuum of research spanning disciplines such as basic science, clinical research and population health. More than 2,150 people work at the CRCHUM, including nearly 500 researchers and nearly 650 students and postdoctoral fellows. crchum.com
About Université de Montréal
Deeply rooted in Montréal and dedicated to its international mission, Université de Montréal is one of the top universities in the French-speaking world. Founded in 1878, Université de Montréal today has 13 faculties and schools, and together with its two affiliated schools, HEC Montréal and Polytechnique Montréal, constitutes the largest centre of higher education and research in Quebec and one of the major centres in North America. It brings together 2,300 professors and researchers and has 70,000 students. umontreal.ca
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