Nano-treatment of HEPA filters in COVID-19 isolation rooms in an academic medical center in Saudi Arabia
Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has spread globally. The major reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains controversial, with the airborne route remaining a possible transmission vehicle for carrying the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034122001824 |
| _version_ | 1811281042225496064 |
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| author | Khaled F. Salama Amani Alnimr Aisha Alamri Mahmoud Radi Bashayer Alshehri Ali A. Rabaan Mohammed Alshahrani |
| author_facet | Khaled F. Salama Amani Alnimr Aisha Alamri Mahmoud Radi Bashayer Alshehri Ali A. Rabaan Mohammed Alshahrani |
| author_sort | Khaled F. Salama |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has spread globally. The major reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains controversial, with the airborne route remaining a possible transmission vehicle for carrying the virus within indoor environments. This study aimed to detect contamination of SARS-CoV-2 in high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters within hospital isolation rooms of confirmed COVID-19 patients, exploring the role of nano-treatment of these filters with silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (Ag/TiO2 NPs). Materials and methods: We investigated the effectiveness of Ag-NPs/TiO2-treated HEPA filters in the air of rooms occupied by patients with confirmed COVID-19 in a university teaching hospital in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia during the first wave of the pandemic. Ag/TiO2 NPs were designed and coated on HEPA filters to examine the filtration efficiency and antiviral ability in the presence of aerosolized virus particles. A total of 20 viral swab samples were collected from five patients’ rooms before and after treatment with nanoparticle-prepared solutions into the sterile virus-transporting media. Samples were evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 with a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results: Two samples taken from the HEPA filter air exhaust outlets prior to nano-treatment tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the intensive care unit, which has stringent aerosolization control procedures, suggesting that small virus-laden droplets may be displaced by airflow. All air samples collected from the HEPA filters from the rooms of patients with confirmed COVID-19 following nano-treatment were negative. Conclusion: We recommend further experimental exploration using a larger number of HEPA filters in areas with aerosol-generating procedures, along with viability studies on the HEPA filters to facilitate decision-making in high-risk facilities regarding the replacement, storage, and disposal of HEPA filters in wards occupied by cases diagnosed with a highly transmissible disease. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T01:25:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8d5a7ee15d024f9797615d41dc38890a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1876-0341 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T01:25:43Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Infection and Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-8d5a7ee15d024f9797615d41dc38890a2022-12-22T03:08:38ZengElsevierJournal of Infection and Public Health1876-03412022-09-01159937941Nano-treatment of HEPA filters in COVID-19 isolation rooms in an academic medical center in Saudi ArabiaKhaled F. Salama0Amani Alnimr1Aisha Alamri2Mahmoud Radi3Bashayer Alshehri4Ali A. Rabaan5Mohammed Alshahrani6Department of Environmental Health, College of Public Health & King Fahad Hospital of the University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia; Correspondence author.Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine & King Fahad Hospital of the University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, King Faisal Road, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Infection Control, King Fahad Hospital of the University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaMicrobiology Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi ArabiaMolecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan; Corresponding author at: Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan.Emergency and Critical Care Department, College of Medicine & King Fahad Hospital of the University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaIntroduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has spread globally. The major reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains controversial, with the airborne route remaining a possible transmission vehicle for carrying the virus within indoor environments. This study aimed to detect contamination of SARS-CoV-2 in high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters within hospital isolation rooms of confirmed COVID-19 patients, exploring the role of nano-treatment of these filters with silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (Ag/TiO2 NPs). Materials and methods: We investigated the effectiveness of Ag-NPs/TiO2-treated HEPA filters in the air of rooms occupied by patients with confirmed COVID-19 in a university teaching hospital in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia during the first wave of the pandemic. Ag/TiO2 NPs were designed and coated on HEPA filters to examine the filtration efficiency and antiviral ability in the presence of aerosolized virus particles. A total of 20 viral swab samples were collected from five patients’ rooms before and after treatment with nanoparticle-prepared solutions into the sterile virus-transporting media. Samples were evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 with a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results: Two samples taken from the HEPA filter air exhaust outlets prior to nano-treatment tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the intensive care unit, which has stringent aerosolization control procedures, suggesting that small virus-laden droplets may be displaced by airflow. All air samples collected from the HEPA filters from the rooms of patients with confirmed COVID-19 following nano-treatment were negative. Conclusion: We recommend further experimental exploration using a larger number of HEPA filters in areas with aerosol-generating procedures, along with viability studies on the HEPA filters to facilitate decision-making in high-risk facilities regarding the replacement, storage, and disposal of HEPA filters in wards occupied by cases diagnosed with a highly transmissible disease.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034122001824SARS-CoV-2OutbreakAirborneSilver-titanium nanoparticles |
| spellingShingle | Khaled F. Salama Amani Alnimr Aisha Alamri Mahmoud Radi Bashayer Alshehri Ali A. Rabaan Mohammed Alshahrani Nano-treatment of HEPA filters in COVID-19 isolation rooms in an academic medical center in Saudi Arabia Journal of Infection and Public Health SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak Airborne Silver-titanium nanoparticles |
| title | Nano-treatment of HEPA filters in COVID-19 isolation rooms in an academic medical center in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full | Nano-treatment of HEPA filters in COVID-19 isolation rooms in an academic medical center in Saudi Arabia |
| title_fullStr | Nano-treatment of HEPA filters in COVID-19 isolation rooms in an academic medical center in Saudi Arabia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nano-treatment of HEPA filters in COVID-19 isolation rooms in an academic medical center in Saudi Arabia |
| title_short | Nano-treatment of HEPA filters in COVID-19 isolation rooms in an academic medical center in Saudi Arabia |
| title_sort | nano treatment of hepa filters in covid 19 isolation rooms in an academic medical center in saudi arabia |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak Airborne Silver-titanium nanoparticles |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034122001824 |
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