Surface and Air Contamination With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 From Hospitalized Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients in Toronto, Canada, March–May 2020. (27th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kotwa, Jonathon D; Jamal, Alainna J; Mbareche, Hamza; Yip, Lily; Aftanas, Patryk; Barati, Shiva; Bell, Natalie G; Bryce, Elizabeth; Coomes, Eric; Crowl, Gloria; Duchaine, Caroline; Faheem, Amna; Farooqi, Lubna; Hiebert, Ryan; Katz, Kevin; Khan, Saman; Kozak, Robert; Li, Angel X; Mistry, Henna P; Mozafarihashjin, Mohammad; Nasir, Jalees A; Nirmalarajah, Kuganya; Panousis, Emily M; Paterson, Aimee; Plenderleith, Simon; Powis, Jeff; Prost, Karren; Schryer, Renée; Taylor, Maureen; Veillette, Marc; Wong, Titus; Zoe Zhong, Xi; McArthur, Andrew G; McGeer, Allison J; Mubareka, Samira;
• Is Part Of: Journal of infectious diseases. Volume 225:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: 768
• Page End: 776
• Publication Date: 2021-11-27
• Subjects: aerosol -- contamination -- COVID-19 -- SARS-CoV-2 -- surface; Communicable diseases -- Periodicals; Diseases -- Causes and theories of causation -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Communicable Diseases -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab578
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1899

Abstract

Abstract: Background: We determined the burden of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in air and on surfaces in rooms of patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and investigated patient characteristics associated with SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination. Methods: Nasopharyngeal swabs, surface, and air samples were collected from the rooms of 78 inpatients with COVID-19 at 6 acute care hospitals in Toronto from March to May 2020. Samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA), cultured to determine potential infectivity, and whole viral genomes were sequenced. Association between patient factors and detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in surface samples were investigated. Results: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA was detected from surfaces (125 of 474 samples; 42 of 78 patients) and air (3 of 146 samples; 3 of 45 patients); 17% (6 of 36) of surface samples from 3 patients yielded viable virus. Viral sequences from nasopharyngeal and surface samples clustered by patient. Multivariable analysis indicated hypoxia at admission, polymerase chain reaction-positive nasopharyngeal swab (cycle threshold of ≤30) on or after surface sampling date, higher Charlson comorbidity score, and shorter time from onset of illness to sampling date were significantly associated with detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in surface samples. Conclusions: The infrequent recovery of infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus from the environment suggests that the risk to healthcare workers from air and near-patient surfaces in acute care hospital wards is likely limited. Abstract : The infrequent recovery of infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus from the environment suggests that the risk to healthcare workers from air and near-patient surfaces in acute care hospital wards is likely limited, particularly several days after admission.