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

新型冠状病毒SARS-CoV2是新冠肺炎全球大流行的罪魁祸首。迫切需要更好的工具来监测SARS-CoV2的传播。社区表面的表面采样有望成为识别传播方式的一种工具。虽然大多数研究集中在医院和其他临床环境中的SARS-CoV2，但该项目将重点监测社区环境中表面的SARS-CoV2。这将通过跟踪人行横道按钮、门、杂货车把手、加油泵把手、自动取款机接口和其他最有可能受到污染的表面上的SARS-CoV2来实现。将对结果进行评估，以确定是否可以使用地面抽样来快速和具有成本效益地评估暴发控制措施的有效性。如果成功，这项研究将允许在SARS-CoV2爆发期间优先对表面进行消毒。将结果与环境模拟相结合，将有助于识别疫情期间和一旦放松干预努力后，SARS-CoV2在公共场所感染的风险。SARS-CoV2的传播比以往人类冠状病毒的爆发更难控制。这被认为是由于高比例的无症状病例(高达60%)主动脱离病毒所致。受感染的社区成员可以在出现严重症状之前长达一周的时间将SARS-CoV2病毒传播到表面，并在疾病进展期间和之后继续传播病毒。最近的证据表明，活的SARS-CoV2颗粒可以在不锈钢和塑料表面存活长达三天。该项目的目标是通过接触受污染的表面更好地了解SARS-CoV2在环境中的传播。这将通过以下具体目标来实现：1)确定暴发期间公共场所高接触病毒上SARS-CoV2的存在和浓度随时间的特征；2)确定SARS-CoV2在病毒上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)将本研究产生的SARS-CoV2浓度数据与病毒颗粒的传播效率结合起来，以确定从病毒粒子感染的风险。鉴于一半以上的感染可能是无症状的，在社区传播已经广泛之前，可能无法通过典型的以医院为基础的监测发现任何复发。结果将被用来评估研究期间疫情控制战略的变化是否会影响SARS-CoV2的环境浓度。一个主要的担忧是，太快或太无效地取消控制措施可能会导致新感染人数迅速增加。结果将使社会受益，为如何最好地控制和监测新冠肺炎以及未来其他包膜病毒的爆发提供决策信息。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.