PMID- 22127875
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20120529
LR  - 20211021
IS  - 1475-3162 (Electronic)
IS  - 0003-4878 (Print)
IS  - 0003-4878 (Linking)
VI  - 56
IP  - 3
DP  - 2012 Apr
TI  - Reaerosolization of MS2 bacteriophage from an N95 filtering facepiece respirator 
      by simulated coughing.
PG  - 315-25
LID - 10.1093/annhyg/mer101 [doi]
AB  - The supply of N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) may not be adequate to 
      match demand during a pandemic outbreak. One possible strategy to maintain 
      supplies in healthcare settings is to extend FFR use for multiple patient 
      encounters; however, contaminated FFRs may serve as a source for the airborne 
      transmission of virus particles. In this study, reaerosolization of virus 
      particles from contaminated FFRs was examined using bacteriophage MS2 as a 
      surrogate for airborne pathogenic viruses. MS2 was applied to FFRs as droplets or 
      droplet nuclei. A simulated cough (370 l min(-1) peak flow) provided reverse 
      airflow through the contaminated FFR. The number and size of the reaerosolized 
      particles were measured using gelatin filters and an Andersen Cascade Impactor 
      (ACI). Two droplet nuclei challenges produced higher percentages of reaerosolized 
      particles (0.21 and 0.08%) than a droplet challenge (<0.0001%). Overall, the 
      ACI-determined size distribution of the reaerosolized particles was larger than 
      the characterized loading virus aerosol. This study demonstrates that only a 
      small percentage of viable MS2 viruses was reaerosolized from FFRs by reverse 
      airflow under the conditions evaluated, suggesting that the risks of exposure due 
      to reaerosolization associated with extended use can be considered negligible for 
      most respiratory viruses. However, risk assessments should be updated as new 
      viruses emerge and better workplace exposure data becomes available.
FAU - Fisher, Edward M
AU  - Fisher EM
AD  - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, National Personal 
      Protective Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA.
FAU - Richardson, Aaron W
AU  - Richardson AW
FAU - Harpest, Shannon D
AU  - Harpest SD
FAU - Hofacre, Kent C
AU  - Hofacre KC
FAU - Shaffer, Ronald E
AU  - Shaffer RE
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
DEP - 20111129
PL  - England
TA  - Ann Occup Hyg
JT  - The Annals of occupational hygiene
JID - 0203526
RN  - 0 (Aerosols)
RN  - 0 (Air Pollutants, Occupational)
SB  - IM
MH  - Aerosols
MH  - Air Pollutants, Occupational/adverse effects/*analysis
MH  - Bacillus megaterium/virology
MH  - Bacillus subtilis/virology
MH  - Decontamination/methods
MH  - Filtration/instrumentation
MH  - Humans
MH  - Infection Control/*methods
MH  - Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional/*prevention & control
MH  - Influenza, Human/*prevention & control/*transmission
MH  - Levivirus
MH  - Models, Biological
MH  - Occupational Exposure
MH  - Particle Size
MH  - Research Design
MH  - Respiratory Protective Devices
MH  - Risk Assessment/methods
PMC - PMC7537697
EDAT- 2011/12/01 06:00
MHDA- 2012/05/30 06:00
PMCR- 2020/10/06
CRDT- 2011/12/01 06:00
PHST- 2011/12/01 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2011/12/01 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2012/05/30 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2020/10/06 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - mer101 [pii]
AID - 10.1093/annhyg/mer101 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Ann Occup Hyg. 2012 Apr;56(3):315-25. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/mer101. Epub 2011 Nov 
      29.