Airborne Infectious Agents and Other Pollutants in Automobiles for Domestic Use: Potential Health Impacts and Approaches to Risk Mitigation

Sattar, Syed A.; Wright, Kathryn; Zargar, Bahram; Rubino, Joseph R.; Ijaz, M. Khalid

doi:10.1155/2016/1548326

Cited by 17 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 56 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Similarly, the dust generated in the streets, especially of Kathmandu Valley is also considered to be equally responsible for the microbial colonization (Gautam 2010;Sattar 2016).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Public Transportation of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Angbuhang¹,

Neupane²,

Adhikari³

et al. 2018

TU J. Microbiol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess microbial load and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from surfaces of public transport vehicle. Methods: The surfaces of public transport vehicle were sampled by swabbing. A total of 56 samples from 28 different vehicles operating in Kathmandu valley were collected and processed according to the standard methodology. The isolates were identified by culture, biochemical tests and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing by modified Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method following CLSI 2013 guidelines. Methicillin resistant species of Staphylococcus were detected by the virtue of cefoxitin resistance. Results: All 56 samples from the 28 different vehicles were found to have bacterial growth with average bacterial load of 2.47±1.22 x 105 CFU/cm2. The gas vehicles were found to be the most contaminated. Out of 56 samples, 35 (25.9%) were found to be S. aureus growth positive 11 (31.4%) of them being MRSA. Conclusion: The high flow of people with different health conditions in public transport makes the exchange of microorganism more significant. High bacterial load along with MRSA indicates the threats of transmission of infection among travellers. This is of a great public health concern as the mass population of different health condition is in direct exposure and is prone to get infected.

show abstract

“…Similarly, the dust generated in the streets, especially of Kathmandu Valley is also considered to be equally responsible for the microbial colonization (Gautam 2010;Sattar 2016).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Public Transportation of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Angbuhang¹,

Neupane²,

Adhikari³

et al. 2018

TU J. Microbiol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Inhalation of such particulates, including those from tobacco smoke (33), and their retention in the respiratory system can predispose to many pathogens. In-car exposure to such partic-ulates (34) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (35) may occur simultaneously, potentially leading to an additive negative impact on the health of the occupants (33)(34)(35)(36).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Airborne Pathogens inside Automobiles for Domestic Use: Assessing In-Car Air Decontamination Devices Using Staphylococcus aureus as the Challenge Bacterium

Sattar

Zargar

Wright

et al. 2017

Appl Environ Microbiol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Family cars represent ∼74% of the yearly global output of motorized vehicles. With a life expectancy of ∼8 decades in many countries, the average person spends >100 min daily inside the confined and often shared space of the car, with exposure to a mix of potentially harmful microbes. Can commercial in-car microbial air decontamination devices mitigate the risk? Three such devices (designated devices 1 to 3) with HEPA filters were tested in the modified passenger cabin (3.25 m) of a four-door sedan housed within a biosafety level 3 containment facility. (ATCC 6538) was suspended in a soil load to simulate the presence of body fluids and aerosolized into the car's cabin with a 6-jet Collison nebulizer. A muffin fan (80 mm by 80 mm, with an output of 0.17 m/min) circulated the air inside. Plates (150 mm diameter) of Trypticase soy agar (TSA), placed inside a programmable slit-to-agar sampler, were held at 36 ± 1°C for 18 to 24 h and examined for CFU. The input dose of the test bacterium, its rate of biological decay, and the log reductions by the test devices were analyzed. The arbitrarily set performance criterion was the time in hours a device took for a 3-log reduction in the level of airborne challenge bacterium. On average, the level of challenge in the air varied between 4.2 log CFU/m and 5.5 log CFU/m, and its rate of biological decay was -0.0213 ± 0.0021 log CFU/m/min. Devices 1 to 3 took 2.3, 1.5, and 9.7 h, respectively, to meet the performance criterion. While the experimental setup was tested using as an archetypical airborne pathogen, it can be readily adapted to test other types of pathogens and technologies. This study was designed to test the survival of airborne pathogens in the confined and shared space of a family automobile as well as to assess claims of devices marketed for in-car air decontamination. The basic experimental setup and the test protocols reported are versatile enough for work with all major types of airborne human pathogens and for testing a wide variety of air decontamination technologies. This study could also lay the foundation for a standardized test protocol for use by device makers as well as regulators for the registration of such devices.

show abstract

“…Ill-functioning ventilation or air-conditioning systems in various institutions, dwellings and personal cars, could also be a cause of the inhalable air contamination and subsequent respiratory disease [22,103,104,105]. Kumar and Morawska [104] reported that an ill-regulated air-conditioning (A/C) system set on indoor recirculation mode, caused local outbreaks of COVID-19 in a bus and in conference rooms.…”

Section: Prevention Of Dampness and Air Contamination By Illfunctionimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sattar et al [105] reported that biofilms formed in heaters/ air conditioners of personal cars, as well as those in windshield washer reservoirs and other areas of the car, may release infectious microorganisms such as Legionella pneumophila, allergenic ones such as nontuberculous mycobacteria, causing HP, and immunotoxic microbial products such as bacterial endotoxin and/or fungal (1→3)-β-D-glucan.…”

Section: Prevention Of Dampness and Air Contamination By Illfunctionimentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID 19 – Possible interrelations with respiratory comorbidities caused by occupational exposure to various hazardous bioaerosols. Part II. Clinical course, diagnostics, treatment and prevention

Maćkiewicz¹,

Lemieszek²,

Dutkiewicz³

2021

Ann Agric Environ Med.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction and objective. The course of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 may be aggravated by bioaerosols containing other viruses, bacteria, and fungi, occurring mainly in the occupational environment. Hence, the diagnostics and treatment of COVID-19 should address such a possibility in the anamnesis, treatment and final recommendations for avoiding of adverse exposure. Abbreviated description of the state of knowledge. As SARS-CoV-2 attacks primarily the respiratory system and the severe manifestation of COVID-19 is interstitial pneumonia, diagnostics should include the following clinical and laboratory examinations: chest X-ray; high resolution computed tomography (HRCT); pulmonary function tests; arterial-blood gas test; genetic tests for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, in the future with the use of highly specific and sensitive nano-based biosensors; tests for the presence of specific immunity against the antigens of microorganisms causing other infectious or allergic pulmonary diseases (in the case of anamnestic indications). Because an universally accepted treatment for COVID-19 does not exist, the hitherto prescribed antiviral and immune-modulating drugs should be used be with caution. In many cases, a better alternative could be a safe supportive therapy, such as supplementation of the diet with probiotics, prebiotics, vitamins and microelements. Conclusions. The most important preventive measures against COVID-19 should include: vaccination; the use of filter or surgical masks; disinfection and sterilization; maintaining of well-functioning ventilation and air conditioning systems; reduction of the community air pollution which has been identified as an important factor increasing the COVID-19 severity. In the choice of preventive measures, the above should be considered for their potential efficacy against other bioaerosols as potential disease-aggravating agents.

show abstract

Airborne Infectious Agents and Other Pollutants in Automobiles for Domestic Use: Potential Health Impacts and Approaches to Risk Mitigation

Cited by 17 publications

References 56 publications

Detection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Public Transportation of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Detection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Public Transportation of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Airborne Pathogens inside Automobiles for Domestic Use: Assessing In-Car Air Decontamination Devices Using Staphylococcus aureus as the Challenge Bacterium

COVID 19 – Possible interrelations with respiratory comorbidities caused by occupational exposure to various hazardous bioaerosols. Part II. Clinical course, diagnostics, treatment and prevention

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About