tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Korean Med Sci
. 2020 Sep 21;35(37):e332.
doi: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e332.
Air and Environmental Contamination Caused by COVID-19 Patients: a Multi-Center Study
Uh Jin Kim[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Seung Yeob Lee[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ji Yeon Lee[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ahrang Lee[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Seung Eun Kim[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ok Ja Choi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ji Suk Lee[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Seung Jung Kee[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hee Chang Jang[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of air and surface contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in four health care facilities with hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.
Methods: We investigated air and environmental contamination in the rooms of eight COVID-19 patients in four hospitals. Some patients were in negative-pressure rooms, and others were not. None had undergone aerosol-generating procedures. On days 0, 3, 5, and 7 of hospitalization, the surfaces in the rooms and anterooms were swabbed, and air samples were collected 2 m from the patient and from the anterooms.
Results: All 52 air samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Widespread surface contamination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was observed. In total, 89 of 320 (27%) environmental surface samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Surface contamination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was common in rooms without surface disinfection and in rooms sprayed with disinfectant twice a day. However, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in a room cleaned with disinfectant wipes on a regular basis.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that remote (> 2 m) airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from hospitalized COVID-19 patients is uncommon when aerosol-generating procedures have not been performed. Surface contamination was widespread, except in a room routinely cleaned with disinfectant wipes.
Keywords: Droplet; Environmental Sampling; SARS-CoV-2; Transmission.
. 2020 Sep 21;35(37):e332.
doi: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e332.
Air and Environmental Contamination Caused by COVID-19 Patients: a Multi-Center Study
Uh Jin Kim[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 1 [/SUP], Seung Yeob Lee[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 2 [/SUP], Ji Yeon Lee[SUP] #[/SUP][SUP] 3 [/SUP], Ahrang Lee[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Seung Eun Kim[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Ok Ja Choi[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Ji Suk Lee[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Seung Jung Kee[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Hee Chang Jang[SUP] 6 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 32959546
- DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e332
Abstract
Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of air and surface contamination of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in four health care facilities with hospitalized coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.
Methods: We investigated air and environmental contamination in the rooms of eight COVID-19 patients in four hospitals. Some patients were in negative-pressure rooms, and others were not. None had undergone aerosol-generating procedures. On days 0, 3, 5, and 7 of hospitalization, the surfaces in the rooms and anterooms were swabbed, and air samples were collected 2 m from the patient and from the anterooms.
Results: All 52 air samples were negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Widespread surface contamination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was observed. In total, 89 of 320 (27%) environmental surface samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Surface contamination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was common in rooms without surface disinfection and in rooms sprayed with disinfectant twice a day. However, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in a room cleaned with disinfectant wipes on a regular basis.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that remote (> 2 m) airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from hospitalized COVID-19 patients is uncommon when aerosol-generating procedures have not been performed. Surface contamination was widespread, except in a room routinely cleaned with disinfectant wipes.
Keywords: Droplet; Environmental Sampling; SARS-CoV-2; Transmission.