Detection of air and surface contamination by SARS-CoV-2 in hospital rooms of infected patients

Chia, Po Ying; Coleman, Kristen K.; Tan, Yian Kim; Ong, Sean Wei Xiang; Gum, Marcus; Lau, Sok Kiang; Lim, Xiao Fang; Lim, Ai Sim; Sutjipto, Stephanie; Lee, Pei Hua; Son, Than The; Young, Barnaby Edward; Milton, Donald K.; Gray, Gregory C.; Schuster, Stephan C.; Barkham, Timothy; De, Partha Pratim; Vasoo, Shawn; Chan, Mónica; Ang, Brenda; Tan, Boon Huan; Leo, Yee‐Sin; Ng, Oon Tek; Wong, Michelle; Marimuthu, Kalisvar; Lye, David Chien; Lim, Poh Lian; Lee, Cheng Chuan; L, Li; Lee, Lawrence; Lee, Tau Hong; Wong, Chen Seong; Sadarangani, Sapna; Lin, Ray Junhao; Ng, Deborah Hee Ling; Sadasiv, Mucheli Sharavan; Yeo, Tsin Wen; Choy, Chiaw Yee; Tan, Glorijoy Shi En; Dimatatac, Frederico; Santos, Isais Florante; Go, Chi Jong; Chan, Yu Kit; Tay, Jun Yang; Tan, Jackie Yu-Ling; Pandit, Nihar; Ho, Benjamin Choon Heng; Mendis, Shehara; Chen, Yuan Yi Constance; Abdad, Mohammad Yazid; Moses, D G

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-16670-2

Cited by 788 publications

(867 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Evidences suggested that environmental contamination with SARS-CoV-2 is likely to be high, and it is supported by recent researches focus on environmental contamination from COVID-19 cases in hospital [5][6][7][8]. Hospitals already have perfect disinfection measures and are less likely to appear super-spreaders compared with community and family [4,[9][10][11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Air and surface contamination in non-health care settings among 641 environmental specimens of 39 COVID-19 cases

Luo

Liú

Zhang

et al. 2020

Preprint

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AbstractBackgroundLittle is known about the SARS-CoV-2 contamination of environmental surfaces and air in non-health care settings among COVID-19 cases.Methods and findingsWe explored the SARS-CoV-2 contamination of environmental surfaces and air by collecting air and swabbing environmental surfaces among 39 COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou, China. The specimens were tested by RT-PCR testing. The information collected for COVID-19 cases included basic demographic, clinical severity, onset of symptoms, radiological testing, laboratory testing and hospital admission. A total of 641 environmental surfaces and air specimens were collected among 39 COVID-19 cases before disinfection. Among them, 20 specimens (20/641, 3.1%) were tested positive from 9 COVID-19 cases (9/39, 23.1%), with 5 (5/101, 5.0%) positive specimens from 3 asymptomatic cases, 5 (5/220, 2.3%) from 3 mild cases, and 10 (10/374, 2.7%) from 3 moderate cases. All positive specimens were collected within 3 days after diagnosis, and 10 (10/42, 23.8%) were found in toilet (5 on toilet bowl, 4 on sink/faucet/shower, 1 on floor drain), 4 (4/21, 19.0%) in anteroom (2 on water dispenser/cup/bottle, 1 on chair/table, 1 on TV remote), 1 (1/8, 12.5%) in kitchen (1 on dining-table), 1 (1/18, 5.6%) in bedroom (1 on bed/sheet pillow/bedside table), 1 (1/5, 20.0%) in car (1 on steering wheel/seat/handlebar) and 3 (3/20, 21.4%) on door knobs. Air specimens in room (0/10, 0.0%) and car (0/1, 0.0%) were all negative.ConclusionsSARS-CoV-2 was found on environmental surfaces especially in toilet, and could survive for several days. We provided evidence of potential for SARS-CoV-2 transmission through contamination of environmental surfaces.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Air and surface contamination in non-health care settings among 641 environmental specimens of 39 COVID-19 cases

Luo

Liú

Zhang

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…A recent study has described a low percentage of positive samples in an emergency room and the sub-intensive care ward (11). In another study, almost 57% of rooms treating COVID-19 patients had at least one environmental surface contaminated (12).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Bacterial but no SARS-CoV-2 contamination after terminal disinfection of tertiary care intensive care units treating COVID-19 patients

Hofmänner¹,

García²,

Duvnjak³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: In intensive care units (ICUs) treating patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) invasive ventilation poses a high risk for aerosol and droplet formation. Surface contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or bacteria can result in nosocomial transmission.Methods: Two tertiary care COVID-19 intensive care units treating 53 patients for 870 patient days were sampled after terminal cleaning and preparation for regular use to treat non-COVID-19 patients.Results: A total of 176 swabs were sampled of defined locations covering both ICUs. No SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) was detected. Gram-negative bacterial contamination was mainly linked to sinks and siphons. Skin flora was isolated from most swabbed areas and Enterococcus faecium was detected on two keyboards.Conclusions: After basic cleaning with standard disinfection measures no remaining SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected. Bacterial contamination was low and mainly localised in sinks and siphons.

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“…When using sing a human adenovirus virus (HAdV), Verani et al, 52 found 135 out of 172 surfaces within toilet facilities in a health care setting to be contaminated. Contamination of contact surfaces outside the sanitation setting has been reported in hospitals 55,56,57,58 home settings 59,60,61 and public spaces 60 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 on contact surfaces within shared sanitation facilities and assessment of the potential risks for COVID-19 infections

Amoah

Pillay

Deepnarian

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Contamination of contact surfaces with SARS-CoV-2 has been reported as a potential route for the community transmission of COVID-19. This could be a major issue in developing countries where access to basic sanitation is poor leading to the sharing of toilet facilities. In this study, we present the first report of SARS-CoV-2 contamination on key contact surfaces in shared toilets, in the city of Durban, using droplet digital PCR and assessed the probabilistic risks of COVID-19 infections.Approximately, 53-69% of the contact surfaces were contaminated, with SARS-CoV-2 viral loads per cm2 ranging from 25.9 to 132.69 gc/cm2. Toilet seats had the highest contamination per cm2. The results suggested that the leading cause of contamination in shared toilets could be the shedding of the viral particles in feces and contaminated hands. We observed a significant reduction in viral loads on the contaminated surfaces after cleaning, showing the potential of effective cleaning on the reduction of contamination of these surfaces. The probabilistic assessment showed a high potential for COVID-19 infections. Touching the internal latch of the toilet cubicle had the highest risk of infections (4.3x10-2(6.0x10-4)) when a person uses the toilet once in a day, increasing to 1.0x10-1(1.4x10-3) for three uses in a day. The risks estimated in this study were higher than any of the tolerable/acceptable risk figures proposed for COVID-19 from environmental exposure. This calls for the implementation of risk reduction measures, such as strict adherence to wearing face masks, regular washing of hands with soap, and effective and regular cleaning.

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Detection of air and surface contamination by SARS-CoV-2 in hospital rooms of infected patients

Cited by 788 publications

References 15 publications

Air and surface contamination in non-health care settings among 641 environmental specimens of 39 COVID-19 cases

Air and surface contamination in non-health care settings among 641 environmental specimens of 39 COVID-19 cases

Bacterial but no SARS-CoV-2 contamination after terminal disinfection of tertiary care intensive care units treating COVID-19 patients

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 on contact surfaces within shared sanitation facilities and assessment of the potential risks for COVID-19 infections

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