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

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 2800 - 7
• Main Authors: Chia, Po Ying, Coleman, Kristen Kelli, Tan, Yian Kim, Ong, Sean Wei Xiang, Gum, Marcus, Lau, Sok Kiang, Lim, Xiao Fang, Lim, Ai Sim, Sutjipto, Stephanie, Lee, Pei Hua, Son, Than The, Young, Barnaby Edward, Milton, Donald K., Gray, Gregory C., Schuster, Stephan, Barkham, Timothy, De, Partha Pratim, Vasoo, Shawn, Chan, Monica, Ang, Brenda Sze Peng, Tan, Boon Huan, Leo, Yee-Sin, Ng, Oon-Tek, Wong, Michelle Su Yen, Marimuthu, Kalisvar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 29.05.2020; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 38/77; 38/88; 631/326/171/1281; 631/326/421; 631/326/596/4130; 692/699/255/2514; Adult; Air sampling; Airborne infection; Betacoronavirus - isolation & purification; Chi-square test; Contamination; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - pathology; Coronavirus Infections - transmission; Coronavirus Infections - virology; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease transmission; Environmental Microbiology; Environmental monitoring; Female; Hospitals; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Illnesses; Infections; Male; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Pandemics; Particle Size; Particle size distribution; Particulate Matter - analysis; Particulate Matter - chemistry; Patients' Rooms; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - pathology; Pneumonia, Viral - transmission; Pneumonia, Viral - virology; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; SARS-CoV-2; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Size distribution; Statistical tests; Time Factors; Viral diseases
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16670-2

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, χ 2 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. Here, the authors sample air and surfaces in hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients, detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in air samples of two of three tested airborne infection isolation rooms, and find surface contamination in 66.7% of tested rooms during the first week of illness and 20% beyond the first week of illness.