SARS-CoV-2 air and surface contamination in residential settings
Abstract SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs mainly indoors, through virus-laden airborne particles. Although the presence and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosol are now acknowledged, the underlying circumstances for its occurrence are still under investigation. The contamination of domiciliary environ...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22679-y |
| _version_ | 1811335173235539968 |
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| author | Gil Correia Luís Rodrigues Mariana Afonso Marta Mota Joana Oliveira Rui Soares Ana Luísa Tomás Anna Reichel Patrícia M. Silva José J. Costa Manuel Gameiro da Silva Nuno C. Santos Teresa Gonçalves |
| author_facet | Gil Correia Luís Rodrigues Mariana Afonso Marta Mota Joana Oliveira Rui Soares Ana Luísa Tomás Anna Reichel Patrícia M. Silva José J. Costa Manuel Gameiro da Silva Nuno C. Santos Teresa Gonçalves |
| author_sort | Gil Correia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs mainly indoors, through virus-laden airborne particles. Although the presence and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosol are now acknowledged, the underlying circumstances for its occurrence are still under investigation. The contamination of domiciliary environments during the isolation of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients in their respective rooms in individual houses and in a nursing home was investigated by collecting surface and air samples in these environments. Surface contamination was detected in different contexts, both on high and low-touch surfaces. To determine the presence of virus particles in the air, two sampling methodologies were used: air and deposition sampling. Positive deposition samples were found in sampling locations above the patient’s height, and SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in impactation air samples within a size fraction below 2.5 μm. Surface samples rendered the highest positivity rate and persistence for a longer period. The presence of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 RNA occurred mainly in deposition samples and closer to symptom onset. To evaluate the infectivity of selected positive samples, SARS-CoV-2 viability assays were performed, but our study was not able to validate the virus viability. The presented results confirm the presence of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 RNA in indoor compartments occupied by COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms, in the absence of aerosol-generating clinical procedures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:20:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-32a500dabc5e4cac9c4f5c7506152195 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T17:20:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-32a500dabc5e4cac9c4f5c75061521952022-12-22T02:38:00ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-10-0112111210.1038/s41598-022-22679-ySARS-CoV-2 air and surface contamination in residential settingsGil Correia0Luís Rodrigues1Mariana Afonso2Marta Mota3Joana Oliveira4Rui Soares5Ana Luísa Tomás6Anna Reichel7Patrícia M. Silva8José J. Costa9Manuel Gameiro da Silva10Nuno C. Santos11Teresa Gonçalves12FMUC, Faculty of Medicine, Univ CoimbraUniversitary Clinic of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine University of Coimbra Nephrology Service, Hospital and University Center of CoimbraFMUC, Faculty of Medicine, Univ CoimbraFMUC, Faculty of Medicine, Univ CoimbraFMUC, Faculty of Medicine, Univ CoimbraFMUC, Faculty of Medicine, Univ CoimbraInstituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de LisboaInstituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de LisboaInstituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de LisboaADAI, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Univ CoimbraADAI, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Univ CoimbraInstituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de LisboaFMUC, Faculty of Medicine, Univ CoimbraAbstract SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs mainly indoors, through virus-laden airborne particles. Although the presence and infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosol are now acknowledged, the underlying circumstances for its occurrence are still under investigation. The contamination of domiciliary environments during the isolation of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients in their respective rooms in individual houses and in a nursing home was investigated by collecting surface and air samples in these environments. Surface contamination was detected in different contexts, both on high and low-touch surfaces. To determine the presence of virus particles in the air, two sampling methodologies were used: air and deposition sampling. Positive deposition samples were found in sampling locations above the patient’s height, and SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in impactation air samples within a size fraction below 2.5 μm. Surface samples rendered the highest positivity rate and persistence for a longer period. The presence of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 RNA occurred mainly in deposition samples and closer to symptom onset. To evaluate the infectivity of selected positive samples, SARS-CoV-2 viability assays were performed, but our study was not able to validate the virus viability. The presented results confirm the presence of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 RNA in indoor compartments occupied by COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms, in the absence of aerosol-generating clinical procedures.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22679-y |
| spellingShingle | Gil Correia Luís Rodrigues Mariana Afonso Marta Mota Joana Oliveira Rui Soares Ana Luísa Tomás Anna Reichel Patrícia M. Silva José J. Costa Manuel Gameiro da Silva Nuno C. Santos Teresa Gonçalves SARS-CoV-2 air and surface contamination in residential settings Scientific Reports |
| title | SARS-CoV-2 air and surface contamination in residential settings |
| title_full | SARS-CoV-2 air and surface contamination in residential settings |
| title_fullStr | SARS-CoV-2 air and surface contamination in residential settings |
| title_full_unstemmed | SARS-CoV-2 air and surface contamination in residential settings |
| title_short | SARS-CoV-2 air and surface contamination in residential settings |
| title_sort | sars cov 2 air and surface contamination in residential settings |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22679-y |
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