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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1970 April; 19(4): 624-628
Copyright © 1970 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Airborne Stability of Tailless Bacterial Viruses S-13 and MS-2

Naval Biological Laboratory, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720

ABSTRACT

The effect of relative humidity (RH) on the airborne stability of two small bacterial viruses, S-13 and MS-2, was studied. Poorest recovery of S-13 was obtained at 50% RH. Humidification prior to aerosol sampling significantly increased the recovery of S-13 at RH deleterious to the airborne virus. A commercial preparation of MS-2 suspended in a buffered saline solution showed a rapid loss of viability at RH above 30%, whereas a laboratory preparation containing 1.3% tryptone showed high recoveries at all RH studied. Dilution of the commercial MS-2 into tryptone broth conferred stability on the airborne virus. Humidification prior to sampling significantly reduced the viable recovery from aerosols of commercial MS-2, whereas the laboratory preparation was unaffected.