Investigating Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Surface and Air Contamination in an Acute Healthcare Setting During the Peak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic in London
Investigating Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Surface and Air Contamination in an Acute Healthcare Setting During the Peak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic in London
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DOI：
10.1093/cid/ciaa905
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发表时间：
2021-10-01
影响因子：
11.8
通讯作者：
Barclay, Wendy S.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Zhou, Jie;Otter, Jonathan A.;Barclay, Wendy S.
背景我们评估了2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行期间伦敦严重急性呼吸道综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）的表面和空气污染。在多中心伦敦医院进行的前瞻性、横断面、观察性研究。空气和地面样本采集自7个COVID-19患者所在的临床区域和医院的公共区域。使用主动空气采样器在每个区域采集了三个或四个1.0 m（3）的空气样本。通过擦拭每个空气样品附近的物品收集表面样品。采用逆转录定量聚合酶链反应（PCR）和病毒培养检测SARS-CoV-2，并确定表面培养SARS-CoV-2的最低检测限。在218个表面中的114个（52.3%）和31个空气样品中的14个（38.7%）中检测到病毒RNA，但未培养出病毒。与其他区域相比，在COVID-19患者立即占据的区域更容易发现病毒RNA（105例患者中的67例[63.8%] vs 64例患者中的29例[45.3%];比值比为0.5; 95%置信区间为0.2-0.9; P = 0.025，卡方检验）。所有样品的高PCR循环阈值（>30）表明病毒不可培养。我们发现，在一系列急性医疗环境中，在没有培养病毒的情况下，表面和空气受到广泛的病毒RNA污染，这突显了环境污染在管理COVID-19方面的潜在风险，以及有效使用个人防护设备、物理距离和手部/表面卫生的必要性。
Background. We evaluated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) surface and air contamination during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in London.Methods. Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study in a multisite London hospital. Air and surface samples were collected from 7 clinical areas occupied by patients with COVID-19 and a public area of the hospital. Three or four 1.0-m(3) air samples were collected in each area using an active air sampler. Surface samples were collected by swabbing items in the immediate vicinity of each air sample. SARS-CoV-2 was detected using reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and viral culture; the limit of detection for culturing SARS-CoV-2 from surfaces was determined.Results. Viral RNA was detected on 114 of 218 (52.3%) surfaces and in 14 of 31 (38.7%) air samples, but no virus was cultured. Viral RNA was more likely to be found in areas immediately occupied by COVID-19 patients than in other areas (67 of 105 [63.8%] vs 29 of 64 [45.3%]; odds ratio, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-0.9; P = .025, chi(2) test). The high PCR cycle threshold value for all samples (>30) indicated that the virus would not be culturable.Conclusions. Our findings of extensive viral RNA contamination of surfaces and air across a range of acute healthcare settings in the absence of cultured virus underlines the potential risk from environmental contamination in managing COVID-19 and the need for effective use of personal protective equipment, physical distancing, and hand/surface hygiene.