Investigation of SARS CoV-2 virus in environmental surface

Abdollah Dargahi; Farhad Jeddi; Mehdi Vosoughi; Chiman Karami; Aidin Hadisi; S Ahamad Mokhtari; Hasan Ghobadi; Morteza Alighadri; Somayeh Biparva Haghighi; Hadi Sadeghi

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.110765

Investigation of SARS CoV-2 virus in environmental surface

Environ Res. 2021 Apr:195:110765. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110765. Epub 2021 Jan 23.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
² Department of Genetics and Pathology, School of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
³ Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran. Electronic address: mvn_20@yahoo.com.
⁴ Department of Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran; Digestive Diseases Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran. Electronic address: chkarami.chiman@gmail.com.
⁵ Department of Microbiology, Parasitology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
⁶ Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
⁷ Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine and Allied Medical Sciences, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
⁸ School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Abstract

The prevalent respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 probably persist for a long time on fomites and environmental surfaces. Some recent studies have detected SARS-CoV-2 RNA on the surface of cell phones, door handles and other items in the inhabited sites of confirmed cases. For the aim of this study, a total of 50 environmental surface samples of SARS-CoV-2 was collected from Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ardabil. Forty-one environmental surface samples were proved negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA while nine surface samples were positive. Our findings regarding surfaces contaminated with the virus are consistent with the results of recent similar researches as it was revealed that a number of different samples taken from hospital surfaces such as handles, cupboards, light switches, and door handles were positive for the presence of SARS-Cov-2.

Keywords: Hospital wards; SARS-CoV-2; Surface contamination.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Fomites
Humans
RNA, Viral
SARS-CoV-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus*

Substances

RNA, Viral