This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Parkinson, A J Articles by Scott, L V Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Parkinson, A J Articles by Scott, L V Agricola Articles by Parkinson, A J Articles by Scott, L V

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 October; 46(4): 901-905

Survival of human parainfluenza viruses in the South Polar environment.

ABSTRACT

The survival of human parainfluenza virus types 1, 2, and 3 was measured in both indoor and outdoor environments at South Pole Station, Antarctica, in an effort to determine the long-term survival of these viruses in this environment and to identify the possible source of respiratory tract illnesses which occurred in this isolated population in 1978 after 10 and 27 weeks of total social isolation. Viruses were applied to plastic petri plate surfaces which were then stored in indoor (21.4 degrees C; water vapor density, 1.50 g of water per m3) and outdoor environments (-22.4 to -33.2 degrees C; water vapor density, 0.706 and 0.247 g of water per m3). Parainfluenza virus type 1 at an initial titer of 3.75 log10 50% tissue culture infective doses per ml was inactivated after 4 days at room temperature and after 7 days outside. Parainfluenza virus type 2 and 3 at initial titers of 5.58 and 5.38 log10 50% tissue culture infective doses per ml were inactivated after 7 and 12 days, respectively, at room temperature and after 17 days of storage outside. Results indicate that the long-term survival of parainfluenza virus in either environment for up to 10 weeks is unlikely and probably did not provide the source of infectious virus responsible for the midisolation outbreaks of parainfluenza virus-related respiratory tract illnesses observed in this population during the 1978 winter season.