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Liu DT, Phillips KM, Speth MM, Besser G, Mueller CA, Sedaghat AR. Portable HEPA Purifiers to Eliminate Airborne SARS-CoV-2: A Systematic Review. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2021; 166:615-622. [PMID: 34098798 DOI: 10.1177/01945998211022636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Current epidemiologic predictions of COVID-19 suggest that SARS-CoV-2 mitigation strategies must be implemented long-term. In-office aerosol-generating procedures pose a risk to staff and patients while necessitating examination room shutdown to allow aerosol decontamination by indwelling ventilation. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers' effectiveness in eliminating airborne SARS-CoV-2 from indoor environments. DATA SOURCES Medline, Embase, Cochrane Databases, and the World Health Organization's COVID-19 Global Literature on Coronavirus Disease. REVIEW METHODS Data sources were systematically searched for original English-language published studies indexed up to January 14, 2021 per the following search strategy: ("HEPA" OR "High-efficiency" OR "High-efficiency particulate air" OR "Efficiency particulate" OR "Purifier" OR "Filter" OR "Cleaner" OR "Filtration") AND ("COVID" OR "COVID-19" OR "SARS-CoV-2" OR "Coronavirus"). Additional relevant studies were identified by searching the reference lists of included articles. RESULTS Eleven published studies have evaluated the effectiveness of portable HEPA purifiers in eliminating airborne SARS-CoV-2 with relevantly sized surrogate particles. Ten studies evaluated aerosols and submicron particles similar in size to SARS-CoV-2 virions. In all studies, portable HEPA purifiers were able to significantly reduce airborne SARS-CoV-2-surrogate particles. The addition of portable HEPA purifiers augmented other decontamination strategies such as ventilation. CONCLUSION Experimental studies provide evidence for portable HEPA purifiers' potential to eliminate airborne SARS-CoV-2 and augment primary decontamination strategies such as ventilation. Based on filtration rates, additional air exchanges provided by portable HEPA purifiers may be calculated and room shutdown times potentially reduced after aerosol-generating procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Liu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katie M Phillips
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Marlene M Speth
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland
| | - Gerold Besser
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian A Mueller
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ahmad R Sedaghat
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Herzog N, Giacardi C, Danguy des Déserts M. Emergency Intubation in Covid-19. N Engl J Med 2021; 384:e74. [PMID: 33882224 DOI: 10.1056/nejmc2104670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Herzog
- Military Training Hospital Clermont-Tonnerre, Brest, France
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Trancossi M, Carli C, Cannistraro G, Pascoa J, Sharma S. Could thermodynamics and heat and mass transfer research produce a fundamental step advance toward and significant reduction of SARS-COV-2 spread? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER 2021; 170:120983. [PMID: 33495658 PMCID: PMC7816940 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2021.120983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
We are living an extraordinary season of uncertainty and danger, which is caused by SARS-Cov-2 infection and consequent COVID-19 infection. This preliminary study comes from both a mix of entrepreneurial experience and scientific research. It is aimed by the exigency to reach a new and more effective analysis of the risks on the filed and to reduce them inside a necessary cooperation process which may regard both research and some of the economic activities which are damaged by passive protection measures such as indiscriminate lockdowns. This global emergency requires specific efforts by any discipline that regards specific problems which need to be solved urgently. The characteristic airborne diffusion patterns of COVID-19 shows that the airborne presence of viruses depends on multiple factors which include the dimension of microdroplets emitted by a contagious person, the atmospheric temperature and humidity, the presence of atmospheric particulate and pollution, which may act as a transport vehicle for the virus. The pandemic diffusion shows a particular correlation with the air quality and levels of atmospheric pollution. Specific problems need to solved to understand better the virus, its reliability, diffusion, replication, how it attacks the persons and the conditions, which drives to both positive and deadly evolution of the illness. Most of these problems may benefit from the contribution from both heat and mass transfer and the unsteady thermodynamics of living systems which evolves according to constructal law. After the bibliographic research on the virus, emissive and spread modes, and consequent today adopted protection, a detailed analysis of the contributions which may be assessed by research in thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, technical and chemical physics. Some possible areas of research have been identified and discussed to start an effective mobilization which may support the effort of the research toward a significant reduction of the impacts of the pandemic infection and the economic risks of new generalized lockdowns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Trancossi
- IIS Galvani, Milano, Italy
- Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilha, Portugal
| | | | | | - Jose Pascoa
- Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilha, Portugal
| | - Shivesh Sharma
- Ethical Property Management Italia srl, Parma 43125, Italy
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Jiang J, Shao Z, Wang X, Zhu P, Deng S, Li W, Zheng G. Three-dimensional composite electrospun nanofibrous membrane by multi-jet electrospinning with sheath gas for high-efficiency antibiosis air filtration. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 32:245707. [PMID: 33657545 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/abeb9a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) composite polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) electrospun nanofibrous membranes combining both thick and thin nanofibers have been fabricated by the method of multi-jet electrospinning with sheath gas to realize high-efficiency air filtration under a low pressure drop. The thin PAN nanofibers form a dense membrane, with a strong capturing ability on the ultra-fine particles, while the thick PVDF nanofibers play a 3D supporting effect on the thin PAN nanofibers. In this case, the combination results in a fluffy membrane with higher porosity, which could achieve the airflow passing through the membrane without the air pressure drop. The effects of the composite manner of thick nanofibers and thin nanofibers are investigated, in order to optimize the air filtration performance of the 3D composite nanofibrous membrane. As a result, the maximum quality factor for air filtration could reach up to 0.398 Pa-1. The particle-fiber interaction model was used to simulate the air filtration process as well, and the simulation results were fairly consistent with the experimental results, providing a guidance method for the optimization of composite nanofibrous membrane for high-efficiency air filtration. More interestingly, a cationic poly[2-(N,N-dimethyl amino) ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) was added in the PVDF solution to obtain a composite air filtration membrane with excellent antibiosis performance, which achieved the highest inhibition rate of approximately 90%. In short, this work provides an effective way to promote antibiosis air filtration performance by using an electrospun nanofibrous membrane, and might also effectively accelerate the biological protection application of current air filtration membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Jiang
- Department of Instrumental and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Zungui Shao
- Department of Instrumental and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang Wang
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Zhu
- Department of Instrumental and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiqing Deng
- Department of Instrumental and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenwang Li
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, People's Republic of China
| | - Gaofeng Zheng
- Department of Instrumental and Electrical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, People's Republic of China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen 518000, People's Republic of China
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Heneghan CJ, Spencer EA, Brassey J, Plüddemann A, Onakpoya IJ, Evans DH, Conly JM, Jefferson T. SARS-CoV-2 and the role of airborne transmission: a systematic review. F1000Res 2021. [DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.52091.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Airborne transmission is the spread of an infectious agent caused by the dissemination of droplet nuclei (aerosols) that remain infectious when suspended in the air. We carried out a systematic review to identify, appraise and summarise the evidence from studies of the role of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Methods: We searched LitCovid, MedRxiv, Google Scholar and the WHO Covid-19 database from 1 February to 20 December 2020 and included studies on airborne transmission. Data were dual extracted and we assessed quality using a modified QUADAS 2 risk of bias tool. Results: We included 67 primary studies and 22 reviews on airborne SARS-CoV-2. Of the 67 primary studies, 53 (79%) reported data on RT-PCR air samples, 12 report cycle threshold values and 18 copies per sample volume. All primary studies were observational and of low quality. The research often lacked standard methods, standard sampling sizes and reporting items. We found 36 descriptions of different air samplers deployed. Of the 42 studies conducted in-hospital that reported binary RT-PCR tests, 24 (57%) reported positive results for SARs-CoV-2 (142 positives out of 1,403 samples: average 10.1%, range 0% to 100%). There was no pattern between the type of hospital setting (ICU versus non-ICU) and RT-PCR positivity. Seventeen studies reported potential air transmission in the outdoors or in the community. Seven performed RT-PCR sampling, of which two studies report weak positive RNA samples for 2 or more genes (5 of 125 samples positive: average 4.0%). Ten studies attempted viral culture with no serial passage for viral culture. Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 RNA is detected intermittently in the air in various settings. Standardized guidelines for conducting and reporting research on airborne transmission are needed. The lack of recoverable viral culture samples of SARS-CoV-2 prevents firm conclusions over airborne transmission.
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Noorimotlagh Z, Jaafarzadeh N, Martínez SS, Mirzaee SA. A systematic review of possible airborne transmission of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) in the indoor air environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 193:110612. [PMID: 33309820 PMCID: PMC7726526 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
At the end of December 2019, the rapid spread of the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) disease and, subsequently, deaths around the world, lead to the declaration of the pandemic situation in the world. At the beginning of the epidemic, much attention is paid to person-to-person transmission, disinfection of virus-contaminated surfaces, and social distancing. However, there is much debate about the routes of disease transmission, including airborne transmission, so it is important to elucidate the exact route of transmission of the COVID-19 disease. To this end, the first systematic review study was conducted to comprehensively search all databases to collect studies on airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor air environments. In total, 14 relevant and eligible studies were included. Based on the findings, there is a great possibility of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor air environments. Therefore, some procedures are presented such as improving ventilation, especially in hospitals and crowded places, and observing the interpersonal distance of more than 2 m so that experts in indoor air quality consider them to improve the indoor air environments. Finally, in addition to the recommendations of the centers and official authorities such as hand washing and observing social distancing, the route of air transmission should also be considered to further protect health personnel, patients in hospitals, and the public in other Public Buildings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Noorimotlagh
- Biotechnology and Medical Plants Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
| | - Neemat Jaafarzadeh
- Environmental Technologies Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Susana Silva Martínez
- Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Seyyed Abbas Mirzaee
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
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Coke CJ, Davison B, Fields N, Fletcher J, Rollings J, Roberson L, Challagundla KB, Sampath C, Cade J, Farmer-Dixon C, Gangula PR. SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Oral Health: Therapeutic Opportunities and Challenges. J Clin Med 2021; 10:E156. [PMID: 33466289 PMCID: PMC7795434 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10010156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The novel corona virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the disease it causes, COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease-2019) have had multi-faceted effects on a number of lives on a global scale both directly and indirectly. A growing body of evidence suggest that COVID-19 patients experience several oral health problems such as dry mouth, mucosal blistering, mouth rash, lip necrosis, and loss of taste and smell. Periodontal disease (PD), a severe inflammatory gum disease, may worsen the symptoms associated with COVID-19. Routine dental and periodontal treatment may help decrease the symptoms of COVID-19. PD is more prevalent among patients experiencing metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular risk. Studies have shown that these patients are highly susceptible for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress known to contribute to the development of PD and other metabolic diseases are highly elevated among COVID-19 patients. Periodontal health may help to determine the severity of COVID-19 infection. Accumulating evidence shows that African-Americans (AAs) and vulnerable populations are disproportionately susceptible to PD, metabolic diseases and COVID-19 compared to other ethnicities in the United States. Dentistry and dental healthcare professionals are particularly susceptible to this virus due to the transferability via the oral cavity and the use of aerosol creating instruments that are ubiquitous in this field. In this review, we attempt to provide a comprehensive and updated source of information about SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and the various effects it has had on the dental profession and patients visits to dental clinics. Finally, this review is a valuable resource for the management of oral hygiene and reduction of the severity of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Coke
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
| | - Brandon Davison
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
| | - Niariah Fields
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
| | - Jared Fletcher
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
| | - Joseph Rollings
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
| | - Leilani Roberson
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
| | - Kishore B. Challagundla
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, The Fred and Pamela Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
- The Children’s Health Research Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Chethan Sampath
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
| | - James Cade
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
| | - Cherae Farmer-Dixon
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
| | - Pandu R. Gangula
- Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences & Research, School of Dentistry, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; (C.J.C.); (B.D.); (N.F.); (J.F.); (J.R.); (L.R.); (C.S.); (J.C.); (C.F.-D.)
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Mahdi SS, Ahmed Z, Allana R, Peretti A, Amenta F, Nadeem Bijle M, Seow LL, Daood U. Pivoting Dental Practice Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic-A Systematic Review. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2020; 56:E644. [PMID: 33255716 PMCID: PMC7761202 DOI: 10.3390/medicina56120644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The aims of this systematic review were to identify additional infection control measures implemented in dental practice globally to prevent cross-infection and evaluate the psychological impacts of the pandemic among dental professionals. Materials and Methods: A sequential systematic literature search was conducted from December 2019 to 30 April 2020 through PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Google Scholar, Embase, and Web of Science databases. The search yielded the following results: "COVID-19" (n = 12,137), "Novel corona virus" (n = 63), "COVID-19 and dentistry" (n = 46), "COVID-19 and oral health" (n = 41), "Novel Corona virus and Dentistry" (n = 0), "dental health and Novel Coronavirus" (n = 26), and "dental practice and Novel Coronavirus" (n = 6). Results: After a careful review and eliminating articles based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, the final review included 13 articles. Management of infection control is discussed extensively in the literature and remains the main theme of many Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) articles on dentistry. Telephone triage using a questionnaire, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE) for clinical and nonclinical staff, a preprocedural mouth rinse, and aerosol management have been discussed and implemented in few countries. Three studies recommended that elective treatments for patients with a temperature of >100.4 F or 38 °C should be postponed or performed in an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR) or negative-pressure room. Limiting the number of patients in the waiting area, the removal of shared objects, proper ventilation, and physical distancing were highly recommended. Psychological distress among dental professionals in relation to existing medical conditions and self-efficacy has been discussed. Conclusions: Although the COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the dental profession worldwide, our review highlights many practice management approaches to adopt the new norm. More research highlighting evidence-based safety practices and multisectoral collaboration is required to help dental professionals make informed decisions and make the profession safe, both for the patient and dental professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Sarosh Mahdi
- Department of Community Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Sohail University, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
- Centre of Clinical Research, Telemedicine and Tele Pharmacy, School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (A.P.); (F.A.)
| | - Zohaib Ahmed
- College of Dental Medicine, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA;
| | - Raheel Allana
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi 74800, Pakistan;
| | - Alessandro Peretti
- Centre of Clinical Research, Telemedicine and Tele Pharmacy, School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (A.P.); (F.A.)
| | - Francesco Amenta
- Centre of Clinical Research, Telemedicine and Tele Pharmacy, School of Medicinal and Health Products Sciences, University of Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy; (A.P.); (F.A.)
| | - Mohammed Nadeem Bijle
- Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Liang Lin Seow
- Division of Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, International Medical University Kuala Lumpur, 126, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Bukit Jalil, Wilayah Persekutuan, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia; (L.L.S.); (U.D.)
| | - Umer Daood
- Division of Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, International Medical University Kuala Lumpur, 126, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 19, Bukit Jalil, Wilayah Persekutuan, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia; (L.L.S.); (U.D.)
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59
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Lelieveld J, Helleis F, Borrmann S, Cheng Y, Drewnick F, Haug G, Klimach T, Sciare J, Su H, Pöschl U. Model Calculations of Aerosol Transmission and Infection Risk of COVID-19 in Indoor Environments. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17218114. [PMID: 33153155 DOI: 10.1101/2020.09.22.20199489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The role of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 viruses in airborne transmission of COVID-19 has been debated. The aerosols are transmitted through breathing and vocalization by infectious subjects. Some authors state that this represents the dominant route of spreading, while others dismiss the option. Here we present an adjustable algorithm to estimate the infection risk for different indoor environments, constrained by published data of human aerosol emissions, SARS-CoV-2 viral loads, infective dose and other parameters. We evaluate typical indoor settings such as an office, a classroom, choir practice, and a reception/party. Our results suggest that aerosols from highly infective subjects can effectively transmit COVID-19 in indoor environments. This "highly infective" category represents approximately 20% of the patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. We find that "super infective" subjects, representing the top 5-10% of subjects with a positive test, plus an unknown fraction of less-but still highly infective, high aerosol-emitting subjects-may cause COVID-19 clusters (>10 infections). In general, active room ventilation and the ubiquitous wearing of face masks (i.e., by all subjects) may reduce the individual infection risk by a factor of five to ten, similar to high-volume, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering. A particularly effective mitigation measure is the use of high-quality masks, which can drastically reduce the indoor infection risk through aerosols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jos Lelieveld
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- The Cyprus Institute, Climate and Atmosphere Research Center, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Frank Helleis
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Yafang Cheng
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Frank Drewnick
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Gerald Haug
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Klimach
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Jean Sciare
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- The Cyprus Institute, Climate and Atmosphere Research Center, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Hang Su
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Ulrich Pöschl
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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60
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Lelieveld J, Helleis F, Borrmann S, Cheng Y, Drewnick F, Haug G, Klimach T, Sciare J, Su H, Pöschl U. Model Calculations of Aerosol Transmission and Infection Risk of COVID-19 in Indoor Environments. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E8114. [PMID: 33153155 PMCID: PMC7662582 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17218114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The role of aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 viruses in airborne transmission of COVID-19 has been debated. The aerosols are transmitted through breathing and vocalization by infectious subjects. Some authors state that this represents the dominant route of spreading, while others dismiss the option. Here we present an adjustable algorithm to estimate the infection risk for different indoor environments, constrained by published data of human aerosol emissions, SARS-CoV-2 viral loads, infective dose and other parameters. We evaluate typical indoor settings such as an office, a classroom, choir practice, and a reception/party. Our results suggest that aerosols from highly infective subjects can effectively transmit COVID-19 in indoor environments. This "highly infective" category represents approximately 20% of the patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. We find that "super infective" subjects, representing the top 5-10% of subjects with a positive test, plus an unknown fraction of less-but still highly infective, high aerosol-emitting subjects-may cause COVID-19 clusters (>10 infections). In general, active room ventilation and the ubiquitous wearing of face masks (i.e., by all subjects) may reduce the individual infection risk by a factor of five to ten, similar to high-volume, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering. A particularly effective mitigation measure is the use of high-quality masks, which can drastically reduce the indoor infection risk through aerosols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jos Lelieveld
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (F.H.); (S.B.); (Y.C.); (F.D.); (G.H.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (U.P.)
- The Cyprus Institute, Climate and Atmosphere Research Center, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus;
| | - Frank Helleis
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (F.H.); (S.B.); (Y.C.); (F.D.); (G.H.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (U.P.)
| | - Stephan Borrmann
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (F.H.); (S.B.); (Y.C.); (F.D.); (G.H.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (U.P.)
| | - Yafang Cheng
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (F.H.); (S.B.); (Y.C.); (F.D.); (G.H.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (U.P.)
| | - Frank Drewnick
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (F.H.); (S.B.); (Y.C.); (F.D.); (G.H.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (U.P.)
| | - Gerald Haug
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (F.H.); (S.B.); (Y.C.); (F.D.); (G.H.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (U.P.)
| | - Thomas Klimach
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (F.H.); (S.B.); (Y.C.); (F.D.); (G.H.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (U.P.)
| | - Jean Sciare
- The Cyprus Institute, Climate and Atmosphere Research Center, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus;
| | - Hang Su
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (F.H.); (S.B.); (Y.C.); (F.D.); (G.H.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (U.P.)
| | - Ulrich Pöschl
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, 55128 Mainz, Germany; (F.H.); (S.B.); (Y.C.); (F.D.); (G.H.); (T.K.); (H.S.); (U.P.)
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