RAPID: The role of fomites in community transmission of SARS-CoV-2

RAPID：污染物在 SARS-CoV-2 社区传播中的作用

• 批准号: 2028623
• 负责人: Amy Pickering
• 金额: $ 9.6万
• 依托单位: Tufts University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-05-15 至 2022-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2028623&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RAPID; role; fomites; community; transmission

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2 is responsible for the global pandemic of COVID-19. There is an urgent need for better tools to monitor the transmission of SARS-CoV2. Surface sampling of community surfaces holds promise as a tool to identify how transmission is occurring. While most studies are focused on SARS-CoV2 in hospitals and other clinical settings, this project will focus on monitoring SARS-CoV2 on surfaces in community settings. This will be achieved by tracking SARS-CoV2 on crosswalk buttons, doors, grocery cart handles, gas pump handles, ATM interfaces, and other surfaces that are most likely to be contaminated. Results will be assessed to determine whether surface sampling can be used to rapidly and cost-effectively gauge the effectiveness of outbreak control measures. If successful, this research will allow the prioritization of surfaces for disinfection during the SARS-CoV2 outbreak. Combining the results with environmental modeling will help identify the risk of SARS-CoV2 infection in public spaces during the epidemic and once intervention efforts are relaxed.SARS-CoV2 transmission has been more difficult to control than previous outbreaks of human coronaviruses. This is thought to result from the high proportion of asymptomatic cases (up to 60%) actively shedding the virus. Infected community members can shed SARS-CoV2 onto surfaces up to a week before developing serious symptoms and can continue shedding the virus during and after disease progression. Recent evidence suggests viable SARS-CoV2 particles can survive on stainless steel and plastic surfaces for up to three days. The goal of this project is to better understand environmental transmission of SARS-CoV2 through contact with contaminated surfaces. This will be achieved through the following specific objectives: 1) Characterize the presence and concentration of SARS-CoV2 over time on high touch fomites in public locations during an outbreak; 2) Determine whether the presence or concentration of SARS-CoV2 on fomites over time is associated with public health control measures and changes in community infection rate; 3) Use SARS-CoV2 concentration data generated in this study in conjunction with transmission efficiency of viral particles to determine risk of infection from fomites. Given that more than half of infections may be asymptomatic, any recurrence may not be detected through typical hospital-based surveillance until transmission is already widespread in the community. Results will be used to assess whether changes in outbreak control strategies over the study period impact environmental concentrations of SARS-CoV2. A major concern is that lifting control measures too rapidly or ineffectively could cause a rapid increase in new infections. Results will benefit society by informing decisions on how best to control and monitor COVID-19 and future outbreaks of other enveloped viruses.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

新型冠状病毒SARS-CoV 2是导致COVID-19全球大流行的原因。迫切需要更好的工具来监测SARS-CoV 2的传播。社区表面的表面采样有望成为确定传播方式的工具。虽然大多数研究都集中在医院和其他临床环境中的SARS-CoV 2，但该项目将集中在社区环境中监测表面上的SARS-CoV 2。这将通过在人行横道按钮、门、杂货车把手、加油泵把手、ATM接口和其他最有可能被污染的表面上跟踪SARS-CoV 2来实现。将对结果进行评估，以确定是否可以使用地面采样来快速和具有成本效益地衡量疫情控制措施的有效性。如果成功，这项研究将允许在SARS-CoV 2爆发期间优先进行表面消毒。将研究结果与环境建模相结合，将有助于确定疫情期间和一旦干预措施放松时公共场所SARS-CoV 2感染的风险，SARS-CoV 2传播一直比以往人类冠状病毒疫情更难控制。这被认为是由于高比例的无症状病例（高达60%）主动脱落病毒。受感染的社区成员可以在出现严重症状前一周将SARS-CoV 2脱落到表面上，并可以在疾病进展期间和之后继续脱落病毒。最近的证据表明，活性SARS-CoV 2颗粒可以在不锈钢和塑料表面上存活长达三天。该项目的目标是更好地了解SARS-CoV 2通过接触受污染表面的环境传播。这将通过以下具体目标来实现：1）描述SARS冠状病毒2在爆发期间公共场所高接触污染物上的存在和浓度随时间的变化; 2）确定污染物上SARS冠状病毒2随时间的存在或浓度是否与公共卫生控制措施和社区感染率的变化有关; 3）使用本研究中产生的SARS-CoV 2浓度数据结合病毒颗粒的传播效率来确定污染物感染的风险。鉴于一半以上的感染可能无症状，在社区传播已经广泛之前，通过典型的医院监测可能无法发现任何复发。研究结果将用于评估研究期间疫情控制策略的变化是否会影响SARS-CoV 2的环境浓度。一个主要关切是，过快或无效地解除控制措施可能导致新感染病例迅速增加。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Longitudinal Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on High-Touch Surfaces in a Community Setting

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00875
• 发表时间: 2021-02-09
• 期刊: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
• 影响因子: 10.9
• 作者: Harvey, Abigail P.;Fuhrmeister, Erica R.;Pickering, Amy J.
• 通讯作者: Pickering, Amy J.