Detection of human respiratory tract rhinovirus and SARS virus by Teflo filter and RT-PCR

Objective:to build up approach of sampling the respiratory tract viruses in the air with Teflo filter and RT-PCR analysis，further monitor the possible existence of SARS virus in the key clinical sections of our hospital.Methods:The air of different sampling points was filtrated with Teflo filter and the rhinovirus or possible SARS virus particles were collected.The viral RNA was extracted and the sem-i nested RT-PCR for 5′-uncoding gene region of rhinovirus or one-step RT-PCR for polymerase gene of SARS virus was performed，respectively.Results:The filter samples in the ward of patient with severe asthma syndrome were rhinovirus-positive；in contrast，the filter samples of all three clinical sections of our hospital were SARS virusnegative. Conclusions:The Teflo-filter air sampling and extraction methodology developed in this study should be applicable to the detection of rhinovirus，SRAS virus and other airborne human respiratory tract viruses in the indoor air of hospital wards.