TRIO.BAS AIRBIO ONE LIQUID Virus and Rapid Test Sampler

Description of TRIO.BAS AIRBIO ONE LIQUID

AIRBIO ONE LIQUID AIR SAMPLER is an innovative instrument for collecting viable particles from air.

It is specifically designed for total pathogen monitoring: viruses, bacteria, mold and yeast.

The instrument supports two operating modes:

• For virus collection into liquid sample for subsequent rapid analytical identification (by PCR method)
• For traditional impaction onto agar culture media plate for colony counting (CFU)

Collection of microorganisms and viruses onto culture media requires incubation time before obtaining results. Significantly faster results are achieved when using the liquid sampling method.

This method has important advantages in the following areas:

• Industry (pharmaceuticals, agro-industry, food and beverage sectors) — for rapid response when detecting contamination
• Military structures — for alerting about possible biological attacks
• Hospitals — for selecting correct pharmacological treatment for patients
• Public institutions (schools, restaurants, metro, trains, administrative buildings, etc.) — for disease/pandemic monitoring

AIRBIO RAPID-VIRUS also allows rapid evaluation of disinfection protocol effectiveness. The instrument was developed under NATO EUCLID CEPA 13 project (“personnel protection from pathogenic microorganisms through air sampling with rapid detection and identification”).

Airborne Virus Monitoring in Public Premises and High-Risk Wards in Hospitals

Why is the monitoring of viruses important?

It is recognised by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) that aerosol transmission in poorly ventilated indoor environments may play a significant role in viral exposure. Hospital, Clinic, Industry should monitor for the presence of potential pathogens in the air with the purpose to mitigate the risk of infections to protect staff and patients.

Air monitoring is especially important if possible contamination by SARS-COV – viral particles is expected.

Where and how can the viruses spread in the environment?

The effects of indoor viral exposure during a pandemic are a concern for industries such as hospitals, health clinics, air travel, hospitality, theatres, convention centres and venues receiving large public populations. Small droplets remain in the air longer and travel farther than large droplets. If aerosol contain viruses in sufficient quantity, a susceptible person could inhale them and become infected.

The monitoring of indoor air environments by quantitative analysis is an important tool to provide data for risk assessment to evaluate the viral exposure.

Which new tests are available for viruses monitoring?

The traditional test to collect respiratory viruses from air requested a filtration with subsequent culture and long time to reach the result. The new approach with a liquid samples obtained by the AIRBIO.ONE RAPID VIRUS instrument and rapid PCR type techniques can give results in a few hours. The AIRBIO.ONE RAPID VIRUS is specifically designed for viruses but also for total pathogen surveillance of bacteria, fungi, yeast.

The instrument consists of a command unit connected to a conical sampling device that holds a collecting liquid. The environmental air is aspirated into the collecting liquid and this allows for capture of viral particles. The liquid sample is subsequently submitted for testing by rapid analytical test methods such as PCR or microarrays.

Which are the origins of the sampler?

The instrument is the result of the European NATO project EUCLID CEPA 13 “Protection of personnel against pathogenic micro-organisms via air sampling and rapid detection and identification”.

Which is the sampling strategy for viruses monitoring?

Several parameters should be considered when designing a sampling strategy. One important point is the positioning of the sampler. It should be placed in the trajectory of the airflow of the place. In case of hospital ward, it should be placed at about 100 cm from the bed of patient.

It is responsibility of the analytical laboratory the type and volume of liquid to be used, the amount of air to be collected (e.g.: 2.000 litres) and how to preserve the nucleic acids of the sample. A positive control is suggested during the DNA/RNA extraction protocol.

How is the AIRBIO.ONE RAPID VIRUS used on the field?

1. Remove stainless steel aspirating head and protective cover from AIRBIO ONE instrument.
2. Install liquid collection system into AIRBIO ONE LIQUID air sampler.
3. Remove conical tube from liquid collection system.
4. Pour liquid into tube.
5. Instrument is ready for operation.
6. On air sampler select VIRUS mode in SPECIAL SAMPLING menu and press START.
7. Upon sampling completion, transfer conical tube to laboratory for analysis.
8. Sample is analyzed using PCR system.

How is the AIRBIO.ONE RAPID VIRUS sterilised (decontaminated)?

The system can be sterilised on the field using sterile 70% alcohol or by autoclaving at 120°C for 20 minutes.

Which are the molecular methods and collecting liquid to be used?

It is the task of the molecular laboratory to indicate the collecting liquid and the rapid test to be adopted (e.g.: qPCR, microarray, NGS.).

At which temperature should the collecting liquid transferred to the laboratory?

The sample should be at +4°C (unless a different indication is received by the lab).

May the AIRBIO.ONE RAPID VIRUS instrument also used with traditional Petri dishes?

The sampler can also be used for bacteria, fungi, yeast with the liquid protocol or with traditional culture Petri dishes.

Which are the applications of AIRBIO.ONE RAPID VIRUS?

• Vaccine production and virus work premises
• High-risk hospital wards
• High-risk clinical departments
• Health department
• Livestock (chickens, pigs, cattle)
• Veterinary laboratory
• Wastewater treatment station
• Virology laboratory
• Waste processing station
• Public health department
• HVAC system maintenance
• Public transport (trains, buses, metro)
• Residential and municipal buildings
• Cinemas, theaters, stadiums, schools, health monitoring agencies, universities, colleges, hygiene and safety departments, dairy plants (for phage prevention in cheese cultures)

Technical specifications of TRIO.BAS AIRBIO ONE LIQUID

Specifications for viral sampling:

Specifications for active air sampling:

Sampling procedures

Sampling protocol