Tracing FX174 bacteriophage spreading during aerosol-generating procedures in a dental clinic

Fecha de publicación: 01/01/2023 Fecha Ahead of Print: 01/03/2023

Autores organización

• Edgar Orlando Beltran Zuñiga

  Autor

• 

  Jaime Eduardo Castellanos Parra

  Autor

• 

  Zayda Lorena Corredor Rozo

  Autor

• Olga Lucia Zarta Arizabaleta

  Autor

• Andrea Del Pilar Cortes Paez

  Autor

• Lorena Viviana Avila Max

  Autor

• Stefania Martignon Biermann

  Autor

Autores

• Morgado W

Grupos de investigación

• Grupo de Virología

  

  Investigador

  Jaime Eduardo Castellanos Parra

• Laboratorio de Genética Molecular Bacteriana LGMB

  

  Investigador

  Javier Antonio Escobar Perez

• Unidad de Investigación en Caries UNICA

  Investigador

  Stefania Martignon Biermann

Resumen

Objective: The aim of this study was to test the plausibility of using the FX174 bacteriophage as a tracer of viral aerosols spreading in a dental aerosol-generating procedure (AGP) model. Methods: FX174 bacteriophage (~ 108 plaque-forming units (PFU)/mL) was added into instrument irrigation reservoirs and aerosolized during class-IV cavity preparations followed by composite fillings on natural upper-anterior teeth (n = 3) in a phantom head. Droplets/aerosols were sampled through a passive approach that consisted of Escherichia coli strain C600 cultures immersed in a LB top agar layer in Petri dishes (PDs) in a double-layer technique. In addition, an active approach consisted of E coli C600 on PDs sets mounted in a six-stage cascade Andersen impactor (AI) (simulating human inhalation). The AI was located at 30 cm from the mannequin during AGP and afterwards at 1.5 m. After collection PDs were incubated overnight (18 h at 37 °C) and bacterial lysis was quantified. Results: The passive approach disclosed PFUs mainly concentrated over the dental practitioner, on the mannequin’s chest and shoulder and up to 90 cm apart, facing the opposite side of the AGP’s source (around the spittoon). The maximum aerosol spreading distance was 1.5 m in front of the mannequin’s mouth. The active approach disclosed collection of PFUs corresponding to stages (and aerodynamic diameters) 5 (1.1–2.1 µm) and 6 (0.65–1.1 µm), mimicking access to the lower respiratory airways. Conclusion: The FX174 bacteriophage can be used as a traceable viral surrogate in simulated studies contributing to understand dental bioaerosol’s behavior, its spreading, and its potential threat for upper and lower respiratory tract. Clinical relevance: The probability to find infectious virus during AGPs is high. This suggests the need to continue characterizing the spreading viral agents in different clinical settings through combination of passive and active approaches. In addition, subsequent identification and implementation of virus-related mitigation strategies is relevant to avoid occupational virus infections. © 2023, The Author(s).

© 2023. The Author(s).

Keywords

• Aerosols; Bacteriophages; Dental Clinics; Dentists; Escherichia coli; Humans; Professional Role; aerosol; bacteriophage; dental clinic; dentist; Escherichia coli; human; professional standard