[Detection of RNA of SARS coronavirus in hospital sewage].

Wang, Xin-Wei; Li, Jin-Song; Guo, Ting-Kai; Zhen, Bei; Kong, Qing-Xin; Yi, Bang; Li, Zhong; Song, Nong; Jin, Min; Xiao, Wen-Jun; Zhu, Xiu-Mei; Gu, Chang-Qing; Yin, Jing; Wei, Wei; Yao, Wei; Liu, Chao; Li, Jian-Feng; Ou, Guo-Rong; Wang, Min-Nian; Fang, Tong-Yu; Wang, Gui-Jie; Qiu, Yao-Hui; Wu, Huai-Huan; Chao, Fu-Huan; Li, Jun-Wen

OBJECTIVE In order to explore the existence of SARS coronavirus (Co-V) and/or its RNA in sewage of hospitals administered SARS patients. METHODS A novel electropositive filter was used to concentrate the SARS-CoV from the sewage of two hospitals administered SARS patients in Beijing, including twelve 2,500 ml sewage samples from the hospitals before disinfection, and ten 25,000 ml samples after disinfection; as well as cell culture, RT-PCR and sequencing of gene to detect and identify the viruses from sewage. RESULTS There was no live SARS-CoV detected in the sewage in this study. The nucleic acid of SARS-CoV had been found in the 12 sewage samples before disinfection from both hospitals by semi-nested PCR. After disinfection, SARS-CoV RNA could only be detected from the samples from the 309th Hospital, and the others were negative. CONCLUSION It provides evidence that there is no live SARS-Cov in the sewage from hospitals with SARS patients though SARS-CoV RNA can be detected.