Detection of Viruses from Bioaerosols Using Anion Exchange Resin

Summary

An anion exchange resin-based method, adapted to liquid impingement-based bioaerosol sampling of viruses is demonstrated. When coupled with downstream molecular detection, the method allows for facile and sensitive detection of viruses from bioaerosols.

Abstract

This protocol demonstrates a customized bioaerosol sampling method for viruses. In this system, anion exchange resin is coupled with liquid impingement-based air sampling devices for efficacious concentration of negatively-charged viruses from bioaerosols. Thus, the resin serves as an additional concentration step in the bioaerosol sampling workflow. Nucleic acid extraction of the viral particles is then performed directly from the anion exchange resin, with the resulting sample suitable for molecular analyses. Further, this protocol describes a custom-built bioaerosol chamber capable of generating virus-laden bioaerosols under a variety of environmental conditions and allowing for continuous monitoring of environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, wind speed, and aerosol mass concentration. The main advantage of using this protocol is increased sensitivity of viral detection, as assessed via direct comparison to an unmodified conventional liquid impinger. Other advantages include the potential to concentrate diverse negatively-charged viruses, the low cost of anion exchange resin (~$0.14 per sample), and ease of use. Disadvantages include the inability of this protocol to assess infectivity of resin-adsorbed viral particles, and potentially the need for the optimization of the liquid sampling buffer used within the impinger.

Introduction

The purpose of this method is to provide a highly sensitive bioaerosol sampling platform to facilitate molecular detection of negatively-charged viruses from bioaerosols. Microorganisms, including viral particles, can survive in bioaerosols for extended periods of time¹. Bioaerosols can travel over relatively long distances and maintain viability and infectivity, as evidenced by an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that originated from industrial cooling towers located at a distance of 6 km from the affected individuals and resulted in 18 fatalities². Indirect transmission of viruses to humans mediated by bioaerosols....

Protocol

1. Setup of the Bioaerosol Chamber (See Figure 2)

1. Pre-load the liquid impingers with 20 mL of 0.01 M phosphate buffered saline, pH 7.5 (PBS).
   1. Add 0.5 g of anion exchange resin and suspend within the PBS of one of the liquid impingers, with another liquid impinger serving as a control.
2. Position liquid impingers in parallel inside the bioaerosol chamber using clamp stands with aerosol inlets facing the nebulizer.
   NOTE: See Figure 2 for additional detail.
3. Co-locate a direct-read aerosol monitor near the liquid impingers to measure ....

Results

Figure 1 demonstrates the principle behind charge-based capture of viruses from bioaerosols via inclusion of resin in liquid-based impingers. Figure 2 shows the setup of the custom-built bioaerosol chamber. Figure 3 describes the steps involved in setting up the aerosolization experiment and measures to ensure quality control. Figure 4 shows amplification curves for qRT-.......

Discussion

This protocol outlines a method for sensitive viral capture from bioaerosols using modified liquid impingers. The method is optimized for detection and quantification of the viral load in bioaerosols. The specific modification demonstrated here involves the addition of anion exchange resin to liquid contained within a common liquid impinger. This method was developed for its simplicity in downstream sample processing, whereas other sample processing techniques such as centrifugation, filtration, and precipitation-based m.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Escherichia coli bacteriophage MS2 (ATCC 15597-B1)	American Type Culture Collection	ATCC 15597-B1
FluMist Quadrivalent	AstraZeneca	Contact manufacturer	Viral constitutents of this vaccine are subject to change on an annual basis
CFX96 Touch Real-Time PCR Detection System	Bio-Rad	1855195
Primers and probes	Integrated DNA Technologies	NA
0.2 µM sterile filter	NA	NA
1 L pyrex bottles or equivalent	NA	NA
1 mL pipet tips	NA	NA
1 mL pipettor	NA	NA
50 mL serological pipet	NA	NA
PCR tubes	NA	NA
Pipet-aid or equivalent	NA	NA
QIAamp Viral RNA Mini Kit	Qiagen	52904
QuantiTect Probe RT-PCR Kit	Qiagen	204443
Amberlite IRA-900 chloride form	Sigma-Aldrich	216585-500G
Phosphate buffered saline	Sigma-Aldrich	P5368-10PAK
Water (molecular biology grade)	Sigma-Aldrich	W4502-1L
Eppendorf DNA LoBind Microcentrifuge Tubes	ThermoFisher	13-698-791
Falcon 50 mL Conical Centrifuge Tubes	ThermoFisher	14-432-22
Falcon Polypropylene Centrifuge Tubes	ThermoFisher	05-538-62
SuperScript III Platinum One-Step qRT-PCR Kit w/ROX	ThermoFisher	11745100
SKC Biosampler 20 mL, 3-piece glass set	SKC Inc.	225-9593
Vac-u-Go sample pumps	SKC Inc.	228-9695
Collison nebulizer (6-jet)	BGI Inc.	NA
HEPA capsule	PALL	12144
Q-TRAK indoor air quality monitor 8554	TSI Inc.	NA
Alnor velometer thermal anemometer AVM440-A	TSI Inc.	NA
SidePak AM510 personal aerosol monitor	TSI Inc.	NA
Bioaerosol chamber	NA	NA