tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Int J Infect Dis
. 2022 Nov 7;S1201-9712(22)00589-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.11.003. Online ahead of print.
Viable SARS-CoV-2 detected in the air of hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients with early infection
Hiroki Kitagawa[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Toshihito Nomura[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Yuki Kaiki[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Masaki Kakimoto[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Tanuza Nazmul[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Keitaro Omori[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Norifumi Shigemoto[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Takemasa Sakaguchi[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hiroki Ohge[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Objectives: This study assessed the concentration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the air of hospital rooms occupied by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients who had viable SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal samples in early infection.
Methods: Between July and October 2021, nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 20 inpatients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to a tertiary hospital in Japan. Air samples were collected from their rooms, tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and cultured to determine potential infectivity.
Results: The nasopharyngeal swab samples of 18 patients were positive for viable SARS-CoV-2 (median concentration: 4.0×10[SUP]5[/SUP] TCID50/mL). In the air samples, viral RNA (median concentration: 1.1×10[SUP]5[/SUP] copies/m[SUP]3[/SUP]) was detected in 12/18 (67%) patients and viable virus (median concentration: 8.9×10[SUP]2[/SUP] TCID50/m[SUP]3[/SUP]) was detected in 5/18 (28%) patients. The median time between illness onset and sampling was 3 days. The RNA concentration was significantly higher in samples wherein viable SARS-CoV-2 was detected than in samples in which viable virus was not detected (p = 0.027).
Conclusions: Viable SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in the air surrounding patients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection. Healthcare workers should pay attention to infection control when caring for patients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Keywords: Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant; SARS-CoV-2; aerosol; air sampling; airborne transmission.
. 2022 Nov 7;S1201-9712(22)00589-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.11.003. Online ahead of print.
Viable SARS-CoV-2 detected in the air of hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients with early infection
Hiroki Kitagawa[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Toshihito Nomura[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Yuki Kaiki[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Masaki Kakimoto[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Tanuza Nazmul[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Keitaro Omori[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Norifumi Shigemoto[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Takemasa Sakaguchi[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hiroki Ohge[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 36356797
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.11.003
Abstract
Objectives: This study assessed the concentration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the air of hospital rooms occupied by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients who had viable SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal samples in early infection.
Methods: Between July and October 2021, nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 20 inpatients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to a tertiary hospital in Japan. Air samples were collected from their rooms, tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and cultured to determine potential infectivity.
Results: The nasopharyngeal swab samples of 18 patients were positive for viable SARS-CoV-2 (median concentration: 4.0×10[SUP]5[/SUP] TCID50/mL). In the air samples, viral RNA (median concentration: 1.1×10[SUP]5[/SUP] copies/m[SUP]3[/SUP]) was detected in 12/18 (67%) patients and viable virus (median concentration: 8.9×10[SUP]2[/SUP] TCID50/m[SUP]3[/SUP]) was detected in 5/18 (28%) patients. The median time between illness onset and sampling was 3 days. The RNA concentration was significantly higher in samples wherein viable SARS-CoV-2 was detected than in samples in which viable virus was not detected (p = 0.027).
Conclusions: Viable SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in the air surrounding patients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection. Healthcare workers should pay attention to infection control when caring for patients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Keywords: Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant; SARS-CoV-2; aerosol; air sampling; airborne transmission.