Understanding the particle size distribution in the air and patterns of environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for infection prevention policies. Here we screen surface and air samples from hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Environmental sampling is conducted in three airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIRs) in the ICU and 27 AIIRs in the general ward. 245 surface samples are collected. 56.7% of rooms have at least one environmental surface contaminated. High touch surface contamination is shown in ten (66.7%) out of 15 patients in the first week of illness, and three (20%) beyond the first week of illness (p = 0.01, χ2 test). Air sampling is performed in three of the 27 AIIRs in the general ward, and detects SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive particles of sizes >4 µm and 1–4 µm in two rooms, despite these rooms having 12 air changes per hour. This warrants further study of the airborne transmission potential of SARS-CoV-2.

Situation Report-12 SITUATION IN NUMBERS total and new cases in last 24 hours Globally 11953 confirmed (2128 new) China 11821 confirmed (2102 new) 1795 severe (268 new) 259 deaths (46 new) Outside of China 132 confirmed (26 new) 23 countries (4 new) WHO RISK ASSESSMENT China Very High Regional Level High Global Level High *The situation report includes information reported to WHO Geneva by 10 AM Additional instances of human-to-human transmission outside China were reported (see further information under Technical Focus).

Understanding the host immune response during Zika virus (ZIKV) infection will provide valuable insights into ZIKV immunopathogenesis. In this study, characterization of cellular changes and immune mediators of ZIKV-infected patients was performed, allowing for the identification of key infection-associated markers.

Dengue detection strategies involve viral RNA, antigen, and/or antibody detection. Each strategy has its advantages and disadvantages. Optimal, user-friendly, rapid diagnostic tests based on immunochromatographic assays are pragmatic point-of-care tests (POCTs) in regions where dengue is endemic where there are limited laboratory capabilities and optimal storage conditions. Increasingly, there is a greater public health significance for a multiplexing assay that differentiates dengue from Zika or pathogens with similar clinical presentations. Although there have been many assay/platform developments toward POCTs, independent validation and implementation remain very limited. This review highlights the current key progress and challenges toward the development of a dengue POCT.

Infections by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative organisms (GN) are associated with a high mortality rate and present an increasing challenge to the healthcare system worldwide. In recent years, increasing evidence supports the association between the healthcare environment and transmission of MDRGN to patients and healthcare workers. To better understand the role of the environment in transmission and acquisition of MDRGN, we conducted a utilitarian review based on literature published from 2014 until 2019.

ZIKV reemerged in recent years, causing outbreaks in many parts of the world. Alarmingly, ZIKV infection has been associated with neurological complications such as Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in adults and congenital fetal growth-associated anomalies in newborns. Host peripheral immune cells are one of the first to interact with the virus upon successful transmission from an infected female Aedes mosquito. However, little is known about the role of these immune cells during infection. In this work, the immune responses of monocytes, known target cells of ZIKV infection, were investigated by high-density transcriptomics. The analysis saw a robust immune response being elicited. Importantly, it also divulged that monocytes prime NK cell activities during virus infection. Removal of monocytes during the infection changed the immune milieu, which in turn reduced NK cell stimulation. This study provides valuable insights into the pathobiology of the virus and allows for the possibility of designing novel targeted therapeutics.

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Purpose of ReviewDengue continues to be a major global public health threat. Symptomatic infections can cause a spectrum of disease ranging from a mild febrile illness to severe and potentially life-threatening manifestations. Management relies on supportive treatment with careful fluid replacement. The purpose of this review is to define the unmet needs and challenges in current dengue diagnostics and patient monitoring and outline potential novel technologies to address these needs.Recent FindingsThere have been recent advances in molecular and point-of-care (POC) diagnostics as well as technologies including wireless communication, low-power microelectronics, and wearable sensors that have opened up new possibilities for management, clinical monitoring, and real-time surveillance of dengue.SummaryNovel platforms utilizing innovative technologies for POC dengue diagnostics and wearable patient monitors have the potential to revolutionize dengue surveillance, outbreak response, and management at population and individual levels. Validation studies of these technologies are urgently required in dengue-endemic areas.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s11908-018-0633-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.