Mary Wilson
Well-known member
Published: 05 May 2022
https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac170
Toni Luise Meister, M.Sc, Marielen Dreismeier, M.D, Elena Vidal Blanco, Yannick Brüggemann, Natalie Heinen, M.Sc, Günter Kampf, Daniel Todt, Huu Phuc Nguyen, Jörg Steinmann, Wolfgang Ekkehard Schmidt, Eike Steinmann, Daniel Robert Quast, Stephanie Pfaend
Abstract
Background
The contribution of droplet-contaminated surfaces for virus transmission has been discussed controversially in the context of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Importantly, the risk of fomite-based transmission has not been systematically addressed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate if confirmed hospitalized COVID-19 patients can contaminate stainless steel carriers by coughing or intensive moistening with saliva and to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission upon detection of viral loads and infectious virus in cell culture.
Methods
We initiated a single-center observational study including fifteen COVID-19 patients with a high baseline viral load (CT value ≤ 25). We documented clinical and laboratory parameters and used patient samples to perform virus culture, quantitative PCR and virus sequencing.
Results
Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs of all patients were positive for viral RNA on the day of the study. Infectious SARS-CoV-2 could be isolated from 6 patient swabs (46.2 %). While after coughing, no infectious virus could be recovered, intensive moistening with saliva resulted in successful viral recovery from steel carriers of 5 patients (38.5 %).
Conclusions
Transmission of infectious SARS-CoV-2 via fomites is possible upon extensive moistening, but unlikely to occur in real-life scenarios and from droplet-contaminated fomites.
https://watermark.silverchair.com/j...IsomDUpTrEv0Dp__WGUp5Rmb33VbYTBrko8llqJs7h60Y
https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiac170
Toni Luise Meister, M.Sc, Marielen Dreismeier, M.D, Elena Vidal Blanco, Yannick Brüggemann, Natalie Heinen, M.Sc, Günter Kampf, Daniel Todt, Huu Phuc Nguyen, Jörg Steinmann, Wolfgang Ekkehard Schmidt, Eike Steinmann, Daniel Robert Quast, Stephanie Pfaend
Abstract
Background
The contribution of droplet-contaminated surfaces for virus transmission has been discussed controversially in the context of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Importantly, the risk of fomite-based transmission has not been systematically addressed. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate if confirmed hospitalized COVID-19 patients can contaminate stainless steel carriers by coughing or intensive moistening with saliva and to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission upon detection of viral loads and infectious virus in cell culture.
Methods
We initiated a single-center observational study including fifteen COVID-19 patients with a high baseline viral load (CT value ≤ 25). We documented clinical and laboratory parameters and used patient samples to perform virus culture, quantitative PCR and virus sequencing.
Results
Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs of all patients were positive for viral RNA on the day of the study. Infectious SARS-CoV-2 could be isolated from 6 patient swabs (46.2 %). While after coughing, no infectious virus could be recovered, intensive moistening with saliva resulted in successful viral recovery from steel carriers of 5 patients (38.5 %).
Conclusions
Transmission of infectious SARS-CoV-2 via fomites is possible upon extensive moistening, but unlikely to occur in real-life scenarios and from droplet-contaminated fomites.
https://watermark.silverchair.com/j...IsomDUpTrEv0Dp__WGUp5Rmb33VbYTBrko8llqJs7h60Y
