Detection of air and surface contamination by SARS-CoV-2 in hospital rooms of infected patients

Nat Commun. 2020 May 29;11(1):2800. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16670-2.

Abstract

Understanding the particle size distribution in the air and patterns of environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for infection prevention policies. Here we screen surface and air samples from hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Environmental sampling is conducted in three airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIRs) in the ICU and 27 AIIRs in the general ward. 245 surface samples are collected. 56.7% of rooms have at least one environmental surface contaminated. High touch surface contamination is shown in ten (66.7%) out of 15 patients in the first week of illness, and three (20%) beyond the first week of illness (p = 0.01, χ2 test). Air sampling is performed in three of the 27 AIIRs in the general ward, and detects SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive particles of sizes >4 µm and 1-4 µm in two rooms, despite these rooms having 12 air changes per hour. This warrants further study of the airborne transmission potential of SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / pathology
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Environmental Microbiology*
  • Female
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Particle Size
  • Particulate Matter / analysis
  • Particulate Matter / chemistry
  • Patients' Rooms*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / pathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Particulate Matter