1
|
Greenhalgh T, MacIntyre CR, Baker MG, Bhattacharjee S, Chughtai AA, Fisman D, Kunasekaran M, Kvalsvig A, Lupton D, Oliver M, Tawfiq E, Ungrin M, Vipond J. Masks and respirators for prevention of respiratory infections: a state of the science review. Clin Microbiol Rev 2024; 37:e0012423. [PMID: 38775460 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00124-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
SUMMARYThis narrative review and meta-analysis summarizes a broad evidence base on the benefits-and also the practicalities, disbenefits, harms and personal, sociocultural and environmental impacts-of masks and masking. Our synthesis of evidence from over 100 published reviews and selected primary studies, including re-analyzing contested meta-analyses of key clinical trials, produced seven key findings. First, there is strong and consistent evidence for airborne transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other respiratory pathogens. Second, masks are, if correctly and consistently worn, effective in reducing transmission of respiratory diseases and show a dose-response effect. Third, respirators are significantly more effective than medical or cloth masks. Fourth, mask mandates are, overall, effective in reducing community transmission of respiratory pathogens. Fifth, masks are important sociocultural symbols; non-adherence to masking is sometimes linked to political and ideological beliefs and to widely circulated mis- or disinformation. Sixth, while there is much evidence that masks are not generally harmful to the general population, masking may be relatively contraindicated in individuals with certain medical conditions, who may require exemption. Furthermore, certain groups (notably D/deaf people) are disadvantaged when others are masked. Finally, there are risks to the environment from single-use masks and respirators. We propose an agenda for future research, including improved characterization of the situations in which masking should be recommended or mandated; attention to comfort and acceptability; generalized and disability-focused communication support in settings where masks are worn; and development and testing of novel materials and designs for improved filtration, breathability, and environmental impact.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Trisha Greenhalgh
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - C Raina MacIntyre
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Michael G Baker
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Shovon Bhattacharjee
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Abrar A Chughtai
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - David Fisman
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mohana Kunasekaran
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Amanda Kvalsvig
- Department of Public Health, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Deborah Lupton
- Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Matt Oliver
- Professional Standards Advocate, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Essa Tawfiq
- Biosecurity Program, The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Ungrin
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Schulich School of Engineering; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Joe Vipond
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Li X, Liu C, Wang D, Deng J, Guo Y, Shen Y, Yang S, Ji JS, Luo H, Bai J, Jiang J. Persistent pollution of genetic materials in a typical laboratory environment. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 470:134201. [PMID: 38579585 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
From the onset of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, there are concerns regarding the disease spread and environmental pollution of biohazard since studies on genetic engineering flourish and numerous genetic materials were used such as the nucleic acid test of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). In this work, we studied genetic material pollution in an institute during a development cycle of plasmid, one of typical genetic materials, with typical laboratory settings. The pollution source, transmission routes, and pollution levels in laboratory environment were examined. The Real-Time quantitative- Polymerase Chain Reaction results of all environmental mediums (surface, aerosol, and liquid) showed that a targeted DNA segment occurred along with routine experimental operations. Among the 79 surface and air samples collected in the genetic material operation, half of the environment samples (38 of 79) are positive for nucleic acid pollution. Persistent nucleic acid contaminations were observed in all tested laboratories and spread in the public area (hallway). The highest concentration for liquid and surface samples were 1.92 × 108 copies/uL and 5.22 × 107 copies/cm2, respectively. Significant amounts of the targeted gene (with a mean value of 74 copies/L) were detected in the indoor air of laboratories utilizing centrifuge devices, shaking tables, and cell homogenizers. Spills and improper disposal of plasmid products were primary sources of pollution. The importance of establishing designated experimental zones, employing advanced biosafety cabinets, and implementing highly efficient cleaning systems in laboratories with lower biosafety levels is underscored. SYNOPSIS: STATEMENT. Persistent environmental pollutions of genetic materials are introduced by typical experiments in laboratories with low biosafety level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Li
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ce Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Dongbin Wang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianguo Deng
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuntao Guo
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yicheng Shen
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuwen Yang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - John S Ji
- Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Haiyun Luo
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jingwei Bai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jingkun Jiang
- School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kulmala I, Taipale A, Sanmark E, Lastovets N, Sormunen P, Nuorti P, Saari S, Luoto A, Säämänen A. Estimated relative potential for airborne SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a day care centre. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30724. [PMID: 38756615 PMCID: PMC11096945 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
We estimated the hourly probability of airborne severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and further the estimated number of persons at transmission risk in a day care centre by calculating the inhaled dose for airborne pathogens based on their concentration, exposure time and activity. Information about the occupancy and activity of the rooms was collected from day care centre personnel and building characteristics were obtained from the design values. The generation rate of pathogens was calculated as a product of viral load of the respiratory fluids and the emission of the exhaled airborne particles, considering the prevalence of the disease and the activity of the individuals. A well-mixed model was used in the estimation of the concentration of pathogens in the air. The Wells-Riley model was used for infection probability. The approach presented in this study was utilised in the identification of hot spots and critical events in the day care centre. Large variation in the infection probabilities and estimated number of persons at transmission risk was observed when modelling a normal day at the centre. The estimated hourly infection probabilities between the worst hour in the worst room and the best hour in the best room varied in the ratio of 100:1. Similarly, the number of persons at transmission risk between the worst and best cases varied in the ratio 1000:1. Although there are uncertainties in the input values affecting the absolute risk estimates the model proved to be useful in ranking and identifying the hot spots and events in the building and implementing effective control measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilpo Kulmala
- VTT Smart Energy and Built Environment, Visiokatu 4, PO Box 1300, FI-33101, Tampere, Finland
| | - Aimo Taipale
- VTT Smart Energy and Built Environment, Visiokatu 4, PO Box 1300, FI-33101, Tampere, Finland
| | - Enni Sanmark
- Helsinki University Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Phoniatrics – Head and Neck Surgery, Helsinki, Finland
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Natalia Lastovets
- Tampere University, Faculty of Built Environment, Civil Engineering Unit, Korkeakoulunkatu 5D, FI-33720, Tampere, Finland
| | - Piia Sormunen
- Tampere University, Faculty of Built Environment, Civil Engineering Unit, Korkeakoulunkatu 5D, FI-33720, Tampere, Finland
| | - Pekka Nuorti
- Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - Sampo Saari
- Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 3, 33520, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anni Luoto
- Granlund Oy, Malminkaari 21, 00700, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Arto Säämänen
- VTT Smart Energy and Built Environment, Visiokatu 4, PO Box 1300, FI-33101, Tampere, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
D'Arpino MC, Sineli PE, Goroso G, Watanabe W, Saavedra ML, Hebert EM, Martínez MA, Migliavacca J, Gerstenfeld S, Chahla RE, Bellomio A, Albarracín VH. Wastewater monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 gene for COVID-19 epidemiological surveillance in Tucumán, Argentina. J Basic Microbiol 2024:e202300773. [PMID: 38712352 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202300773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater-based epidemiology provides temporal and spatial information about the health status of a population. The objective of this study was to analyze and report the epidemiological dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the province of Tucumán, Argentina during the second and third waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) between April 2021 and March 2022. The study aimed to quantify SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater, correlating it with clinically reported COVID-19 cases. Wastewater samples (n = 72) were collected from 16 sampling points located in three cities of Tucumán (San Miguel de Tucumán, Yerba Buena y Banda del Río Salí). Detection of viral nucleocapsid markers (N1 gene) was carried out using one-step reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Viral loads were determined for each positive sample using a standard curve. A positive correlation (p < 0.05) was observed between viral load (copies/mL) and the clinically confirmed COVID-19 cases reported at specific sampling points in San Miguel de Tucumán (SP4, SP7, and SP8) in both months, May and June. Indeed, the high viral load concurred with the peaks of COVID-19 cases. This method allowed us to follow the behavior of SARS-CoV-2 infection during epidemic outbreaks. Thus, wastewater monitoring is a valuable epidemiological indicator that enables the anticipation of increases in COVID-19 cases and tracking the progress of the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 genome-based surveillance should be implemented as a routine practice to prepare for any future surge in infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Cecilia D'Arpino
- Laboratory of Molecular and Ultraestructural Microbiology, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica, (CIME-UNT-CONICET), Facultad de Agronomía, Zootecnia y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Pedro Eugenio Sineli
- Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos (PROIMI-CONICET), Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Goroso
- Laboratorio de Processamento de Sinais e Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos. Núcleo de Pesquisas Tecnológicas, Universidade Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo, Brasil
| | - William Watanabe
- Laboratorio de Processamento de Sinais e Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos. Núcleo de Pesquisas Tecnológicas, Universidade Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo, Brasil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Augusto Bellomio
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Tucumán), Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Virginia Helena Albarracín
- Laboratory of Molecular and Ultraestructural Microbiology, Centro Integral de Microscopía Electrónica, (CIME-UNT-CONICET), Facultad de Agronomía, Zootecnia y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Marr LC, Samet JM. Reducing Transmission of Airborne Respiratory Pathogens: A New Beginning as the COVID-19 Emergency Ends. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:55001. [PMID: 38728219 PMCID: PMC11086747 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, new evidence-based strategies have emerged for reducing transmission of respiratory infections through management of indoor air. OBJECTIVES This paper reviews critical advances that could reduce the burden of disease from inhaled pathogens and describes challenges in their implementation. DISCUSSION Proven strategies include assuring sufficient ventilation, air cleaning by filtration, and air disinfection by germicidal ultraviolet (UV) light. Layered intervention strategies are needed to maximize risk reduction. Case studies demonstrate how to implement these tools while also revealing barriers to implementation. Future needs include standards designed with infection resilience and equity in mind, buildings optimized for infection resilience among other drivers, new approaches and technologies to improve ventilation, scientific consensus on the amount of ventilation needed to achieve a desired level of risk, methods for evaluating new air-cleaning technologies, studies of their long-term health effects, workforce training on ventilation systems, easier access to federal funds, demonstration projects in schools, and communication with the public about the importance of indoor air quality and actions people can take to improve it. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13878.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linsey C. Marr
- The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Jonathan M. Samet
- Departments of Epidemiology and Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Moquin TL, Subramaniam K, Lednicky JA. Coding-complete genomic sequence of a rhinovirus C-32 in a human nasal swab sample that tested false positive in a SARS-CoV-2 antigen test. Microbiol Resour Announc 2024; 13:e0017224. [PMID: 38526094 PMCID: PMC11008128 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00172-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Rhinovirus-A was previously shown to cause false-positive results in a Japanese SARS-CoV-2 antigen test. We report that a false-positive result was obtained in a specimen with rhinovirus C-32 that had been tested using an American SARS-CoV-2 antigen test.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tracey L. Moquin
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Kuttichantran Subramaniam
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - John A. Lednicky
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Usmani M, Brumfield KD, Magers B, Zhou A, Oh C, Mao Y, Brown W, Schmidt A, Wu CY, Shisler JL, Nguyen TH, Huq A, Colwell R, Jutla A. Building Environmental and Sociological Predictive Intelligence to Understand the Seasonal Threat of SARS-CoV-2 in Human Populations. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2024; 110:518-528. [PMID: 38320317 PMCID: PMC10919182 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Current modeling practices for environmental and sociological modulated infectious diseases remain inadequate to forecast the risk of outbreak(s) in human populations, partly due to a lack of integration of disciplinary knowledge, limited availability of disease surveillance datasets, and overreliance on compartmental epidemiological modeling methods. Harvesting data knowledge from virus transmission (aerosols) and detection (wastewater) of SARS-CoV-2, a heuristic score-based environmental predictive intelligence system was developed that calculates the risk of COVID-19 in the human population. Seasonal validation of the algorithm was uniquely associated with wastewater surveillance of the virus, providing a lead time of 7-14 days before a county-level outbreak. Using county-scale disease prevalence data from the United States, the algorithm could predict COVID-19 risk with an overall accuracy ranging between 81% and 98%. Similarly, using wastewater surveillance data from Illinois and Maryland, the SARS-CoV-2 detection rate was greater than 80% for 75% of the locations during the same time the risk was predicted to be high. Results suggest the importance of a holistic approach across disciplinary boundaries that can potentially allow anticipatory decision-making policies of saving lives and maximizing the use of available capacity and resources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moiz Usmani
- GeoHealth and Hydrology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Kyle D. Brumfield
- Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
- University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Bailey Magers
- GeoHealth and Hydrology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Aijia Zhou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Chamteut Oh
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Yuqing Mao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - William Brown
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Arthur Schmidt
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Chang-Yu Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
- Department of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Florida
| | - Joanna L. Shisler
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Thanh H. Nguyen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Anwar Huq
- Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
- University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Rita Colwell
- Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
- University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Antarpreet Jutla
- GeoHealth and Hydrology Laboratory, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Jaumdally S, Tomasicchio M, Pooran A, Esmail A, Kotze A, Meier S, Wilson L, Oelofse S, van der Merwe C, Roomaney A, Davids M, Suliman T, Joseph R, Perumal T, Scott A, Shaw M, Preiser W, Williamson C, Goga A, Mayne E, Gray G, Moore P, Sigal A, Limberis J, Metcalfe J, Dheda K. Frequency, kinetics and determinants of viable SARS-CoV-2 in bioaerosols from ambulatory COVID-19 patients infected with the Beta, Delta or Omicron variants. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2003. [PMID: 38443359 PMCID: PMC10914788 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45400-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 aerosol remains contentious. Importantly, whether cough or breath-generated bioaerosols can harbor viable and replicating virus remains largely unclarified. We performed size-fractionated aerosol sampling (Andersen cascade impactor) and evaluated viral culturability in human cell lines (infectiousness), viral genetics, and host immunity in ambulatory participants with COVID-19. Sixty-one percent (27/44) and 50% (22/44) of participants emitted variant-specific culture-positive aerosols <10μm and <5μm, respectively, for up to 9 days after symptom onset. Aerosol culturability is significantly associated with lower neutralizing antibody titers, and suppression of transcriptomic pathways related to innate immunity and the humoral response. A nasopharyngeal Ct <17 rules-in ~40% of aerosol culture-positives and identifies those who are probably highly infectious. A parsimonious three transcript blood-based biosignature is highly predictive of infectious aerosol generation (PPV > 95%). There is considerable heterogeneity in potential infectiousness i.e., only 29% of participants were probably highly infectious (produced culture-positive aerosols <5μm at ~6 days after symptom onset). These data, which comprehensively confirm variant-specific culturable SARS-CoV-2 in aerosol, inform the targeting of transmission-related interventions and public health containment strategies emphasizing improved ventilation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Jaumdally
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - M Tomasicchio
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A Pooran
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A Esmail
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A Kotze
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - S Meier
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - L Wilson
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - S Oelofse
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - C van der Merwe
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A Roomaney
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - M Davids
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - T Suliman
- Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - R Joseph
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - T Perumal
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A Scott
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - M Shaw
- Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - W Preiser
- Division of Medical Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch Tygerberg Campus; Medical Virology, National Health Laboratory Service Tygerberg, Parow, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - C Williamson
- Division of Medical Virology, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A Goga
- HIV and Other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - E Mayne
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- National Health Laboratory Services, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - G Gray
- South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - P Moore
- Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), Durban, South Africa
- National Institute for Communicable Diseases of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
- SA MRC Antibody Immunity Research Unit, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - A Sigal
- Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, South Africa
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - J Limberis
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Centre, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - J Metcalfe
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Centre, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - K Dheda
- Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Centre for Lung Infection and Immunity, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Department of Infection Biology, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Choudhury B, Lednicky JA, Loeb JC, Portugal S, Roy S. Inactivation of SARS CoV-2 on porous and nonporous surfaces by compact portable plasma reactor. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1325336. [PMID: 38486867 PMCID: PMC10937532 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1325336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
We report the inactivation of SARS CoV-2 and its surrogate-Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), on representative porous (KN95 mask material) and nonporous materials (aluminum and polycarbonate) using a Compact Portable Plasma Reactor (CPPR). The CPPR is a compact (48 cm3), lightweight, portable and scalable device that forms Dielectric Barrier Discharge which generates ozone using surrounding atmosphere as input gas, eliminating the need of source gas tanks. Iterative CPPR exposure time experiments were performed on inoculated material samples in 3 operating volumes. Minimum CPPR exposure times of 5-15 min resulted in 4-5 log reduction of SARS CoV-2 and its surrogate on representative material samples. Ozone concentration and CPPR energy requirements for virus inactivation are documented. Difference in disinfection requirements in porous and non-porous material samples is discussed along with initial scaling studies using the CPPR in 3 operating volumes. The results of this feasibility study, along with existing literature on ozone and CPPR decontamination, show the potential of the CPPR as a powerful technology to reduce fomite transmission of enveloped respiratory virus-induced infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The CPPR can overcome limitations of high temperatures, long exposure times, bulky equipment, and toxic residuals related to conventional decontamination technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bhaswati Choudhury
- SurfPlasma, Inc., Gainesville, FL, United States
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - John A. Lednicky
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Julia C. Loeb
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Sherlie Portugal
- SurfPlasma, Inc., Gainesville, FL, United States
- School of Electrical Engineering, Technological University of Panama, Panama City, Panama
| | - Subrata Roy
- SurfPlasma, Inc., Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Liu F, Ma Q, Sabuj MMA, Yen SH, Govindan D, Gao J, Zhao M, Elimelech M, Zhang W. Revolutionizing Airborne Virus Defense: Electromagnetic MXene-Coated Air Filtration for Superior Aerosol Viral Removal. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:10148-10157. [PMID: 38363186 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic sparked public health concerns about the transmission of airborne viruses. Current methods mainly capture pathogens without inactivation, leading to potential secondary pollution. Herein, we evaluated the inactivation performance of a model viral species (MS2) in simulated bioaerosol by an electromagnetically enhanced air filtration system under a 300 kHz electromagnetic induction field. A nonwoven fabric filter was coated with a 2D catalyst, MXene (Ti3C2Tx), at a coating density of 4.56 mg·cm-2 to absorb electromagnetic irradiation and produce local heating and electromagnetic field for microbial inactivation. The results showed that the MXene-coated air filter significantly enhanced the viral removal efficiency by achieving a log removal of 3.4 ± 0.15 under an electromagnetic power density of 369 W·cm-2. By contrast, the pristine filter without catalyst coating only garnered a log removal of 0.3 ± 0.04. Though the primary antimicrobial mechanism is the local heating as indicated by the elevated surface temperature of 72.2 ± 4 °C under the electromagnetic field, additional nonthermal effects (e.g., dielectrophoresis) on enhanced viral capture during electromagnetically enhanced filtration were investigated by COMSOL simulation to delineate the potential transmission trajectories of bioaerosol. The results provide unique insights into the mechanisms of pathogen control and thus promote alternative solutions for preventing the transmission of airborne pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fangzhou Liu
- John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Qingquan Ma
- John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Md Mohidul Alam Sabuj
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Shih-Hsiang Yen
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Dheeban Govindan
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Jianan Gao
- John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Mengqiang Zhao
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Wen Zhang
- John A. Reif, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
- Otto H. York Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Blvd., Newark, New Jersey 07102-1982, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Haowei Y, Mahyuddin N, Bin Nik Ghazali NN, Wang Z, Liu Y, Pan S, Badruddin IA. A critical review of research methodologies for COVID-19 transmission in indoor built environment. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024:1-65. [PMID: 38385569 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2024.2308731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused massive losses for the global economy. Scholars have used different methods to study the transmission mode and influencing factors of the virus to find effective methods to provide people with a healthy built environment. However, these studies arrived at different or even contradictory conclusions. This review presents the main research methodologies utilized in this field, summarizes the main investigation methods, and critically discusses their related conclusions. Data statistical analysis, sample collection, simulation models, and replication transmission scenarios are the main research methods. The summarized conclusion for prevention from all reviewed papers are: adequate ventilation and proper location of return air vents, proper use of personal protective equipment, as well as the reasonable and strict enforcement of policies are the main methods for reducing the transmission. Recommendations including standardized databases, causation clarification, rigorous experiment design, improved simulation accuracy and verification are provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Haowei
- Centre for Building, Construction & Tropical Architecture (BuCTA), Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Norhayati Mahyuddin
- Centre for Building, Construction & Tropical Architecture (BuCTA), Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nik Nazri Bin Nik Ghazali
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Zeyu Wang
- China Nuclear Power Engineering Co. Ltd, Beijing Institute of Nuclear Engineering, Beijing, China
| | - Yiqiao Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Song Pan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Built Environment and Energy Efficient Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Comprehensive Energy Saving of Cold Regions Architecture of Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun, PR China
| | - Irfan Anjum Badruddin
- Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Tastassa AC, Sharaby Y, Lang-Yona N. Aeromicrobiology: A global review of the cycling and relationships of bioaerosols with the atmosphere. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168478. [PMID: 37967625 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Airborne microorganisms and biological matter (bioaerosols) play a key role in global biogeochemical cycling, human and crop health trends, and climate patterns. Their presence in the atmosphere is controlled by three main stages: emission, transport, and deposition. Aerial survival rates of bioaerosols are increased through adaptations such as ultra-violet radiation and desiccation resistance or association with particulate matter. Current research into modern concerns such as climate change, global gene transfer, and pathogenicity often neglects to consider atmospheric involvement. This comprehensive review outlines the transpiring of bioaerosols across taxa in the atmosphere, with significant focus on their interactions with environmental elements including abiotic factors (e.g., atmospheric composition, water cycle, and pollution) and events (e.g., dust storms, hurricanes, and wildfires). The aim of this review is to increase understanding and shed light on needed research regarding the interplay between global atmospheric phenomena and the aeromicrobiome. The abundantly documented bacteria and fungi are discussed in context of their cycling and human health impacts. Gaps in knowledge regarding airborne viral community, the challenges and importance of studying their composition, concentrations and survival in the air are addressed, along with understudied plant pathogenic oomycetes, and archaea cycling. Key methodologies in sampling, collection, and processing are described to provide an up-to-date picture of ameliorations in the field. We propose optimization to microbiological methods, commonly used in soil and water analysis, that adjust them to the context of aerobiology, along with other directions towards novel and necessary advancements. This review offers new perspectives into aeromicrobiology and calls for advancements in global-scale bioremediation, insights into ecology, climate change impacts, and pathogenicity transmittance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ariel C Tastassa
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003 Haifa, Israel
| | - Yehonatan Sharaby
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003 Haifa, Israel
| | - Naama Lang-Yona
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003 Haifa, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Zhang Y, Shankar SN, Vass WB, Lednicky JA, Fan ZH, Agdas D, Makuch R, Wu CY. Air Change Rate and SARS-CoV-2 Exposure in Hospitals and Residences: A Meta-Analysis. AEROSOL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR AEROSOL RESEARCH 2024; 58:217-243. [PMID: 38764553 PMCID: PMC11101186 DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2024.2312178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
As SARS-CoV-2 swept across the globe, increased ventilation and implementation of air cleaning were emphasized by the US CDC and WHO as important strategies to reduce the risk of inhalation exposure to the virus. To assess whether higher ventilation and air cleaning rates lead to lower exposure risk to SARS-CoV-2, 1274 manuscripts published between April 2020 and September 2022 were screened using key words "airborne SARS-CoV-2 or "SARS-CoV-2 aerosol". Ninety-three studies involved air sampling at locations with known sources (hospitals and residences) were selected and associated data were compiled. Two metrics were used to assess exposure risk: SARS-CoV-2 concentration and SARS-CoV-2 detection rate in air samples. Locations were categorized by type (hospital or residence) and proximity to the sampling location housing the isolated/quarantined patient (primary or secondary). The results showed that hospital wards had lower airborne virus concentrations than residential isolation rooms. A negative correlation was found between airborne virus concentrations in primary-occupancy areas and air changes per hour (ACH). In hospital settings, sample positivity rates were significantly reduced in secondary-occupancy areas compared to primary-occupancy areas, but they were similar across sampling locations in residential settings. ACH and sample positivity rates were negatively correlated, though the effect was diminished when ACH values exceeded 8. While limitations associated with diverse sampling protocols exist, data considered by this meta-analysis support the notion that higher ACH may reduce exposure risks to the virus in ambient air.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuetong Zhang
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columnia, Canada
| | - Sripriya Nannu Shankar
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Environmental & Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - William B. Vass
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - John A. Lednicky
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Z. Hugh Fan
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Duzgun Agdas
- Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure & Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Robert Makuch
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Chang-Yu Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Sousan S, Boatman M, Johansen L, Fan M, Roper RL. Comparing and validating air sampling methods for SARS-CoV-2 detection in HVAC ducts of student dorms. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 343:123164. [PMID: 38103710 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic demonstrated the threat of airborne pathogenic respiratory viruses such as the airborne Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The ability to detect circulating viruses in a workplace or dormitory setting allows an early warning system that can alert occupants to implement precautions (e.g. masking) and/or trigger individual testing to allow isolation and quarantine measures to halt contagion. This work extends and validates the first successful detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus in dormitory Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and compares different air sampling methods and media types combined with optimized quantitative Reverse-Transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. The study was performed in two environments; large dormitories of students who underwent periodic testing for COVID-19 (unknown environment) and the HVAC air from a suite with a student who had tested positive for COVID-19 (known dorm). The air sampling methods were performed using Filter Cassettes, BioSampler, AerosolSense Sampler and Button Sampler (with four media types with different pore sizes of 5 μm, 3 μm, 3 μm (gelatin), and 1.2 μm). The SARS-CoV-2 positive air samples were compared with the positive samples collected by individual student campus track tracing methods using PCR testing on saliva and nasopharyngeal samples. The results show a detection rate of 73% in the unknown environment and a 78% detection rate in the known dorm. Our data show that the virus was detectable with all the sampling methods we employed. However, the AerosolSense sampler and BioSampler performed the best at 63% and 61% detection rates, compared to 25% for the Filter Cassettes and 23% for the Button Sampler. Despite the success rate, it is not possible to definitively conclude which method is most sensitive due to the limited number of samples. These results show that with careful sampling and optimized PCR methods, pathogenic respiratory viruses can be detected in large buildings using HVAC return air.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sinan Sousan
- Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA; North Carolina Agromedicine Institute, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
| | - Marina Boatman
- Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA; Department of Health Services and Information Management, College of Allied Health, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, 5E-106A, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Lauren Johansen
- Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA; Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, 5E-106A, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Ming Fan
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, 5E-106A, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Rachel L Roper
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, 5E-106A, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Siller P, Skopeck B, Rosen K, Bartel A, Friese A, Rösler U. Impact of air humidity on the tenacity of different agents in bioaerosols. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297193. [PMID: 38277366 PMCID: PMC10817179 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the variety of pathogens that are transmitted via the airborne route, few data are available on factors that influence the tenacity of airborne pathogens. In order to better understand and thus control airborne infections, knowledge of these factors is important. In this study, three agents, S. aureus, G. stearothermophilus spores and the MS2 bacteriophage, were aerosolized at relative humidities (RH) varying between 30% and 70%. Air samples were then analyzed to determine the concentration of the agents. S. aureus was found to have significantly lower survival rate in the aerosol at RH above 60%. It showed the lowest recovery rates of the three agents, ranging from 0.13% at approximately 70% RH to 4.39% at 30% RH. G. stearothermophilus spores showed the highest tenacity with recovery rates ranging from 41.85% to 61.73% with little effect of RH. For the MS2 bacteriophage, a significantly lower tenacity in the aerosol was observed with a recovery rate of 4.24% for intermediate RH of approximately 50%. The results of this study confirm the significant influence of the RH on the tenacity of airborne microorganisms depending on the specific agent. These data show that the behavior of microorganism in bioaerosols is varies under different environmental conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Siller
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research–TZR, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Britta Skopeck
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research–TZR, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Rosen
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research–TZR, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Bartel
- Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anika Friese
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research–TZR, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Uwe Rösler
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research–TZR, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Shankar SN, Vass WB, Lednicky JA, Logan T, Messcher RL, Eiguren-Fernandez A, Amanatidis S, Sabo-Attwood T, Wu CY. The BioCascade-VIVAS system for collection and delivery of virus-laden size-fractionated airborne particles. JOURNAL OF AEROSOL SCIENCE 2024; 175:106263. [PMID: 38680161 PMCID: PMC11044810 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaerosci.2023.106263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The size of virus-laden particles determines whether aerosol or droplet transmission is dominant in the airborne transmission of pathogens. Determining dominant transmission pathways is critical to implementing effective exposure risk mitigation strategies. The aerobiology discipline greatly needs an air sampling system that can collect virus-laden airborne particles, separate them by particle diameter, and deliver them directly onto host cells without inactivating virus or killing cells. We report the use of a testing system that combines a BioAerosol Nebulizing Generator (BANG) to aerosolize Human coronavirus (HCoV)-OC43 (OC43) and an integrated air sampling system comprised of a BioCascade impactor (BC) and Viable Virus Aerosol Sampler (VIVAS), together referred to as BC-VIVAS, to deliver the aerosolized virus directly onto Vero E6 cells. Particles were collected into four stages according to their aerodynamic diameter (Stage 1: >9.43 μm, Stage 2: 3.81-9.43 μm, Stage 3: 1.41-3.81 μm and Stage 4: <1.41 μm). OC43 was detected by reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analyses of samples from all BC-VIVAS stages. The calculated OC43 genome equivalent counts per cm3 of air ranged from 0.34±0.09 to 70.28±12.56, with the highest concentrations in stage 3 (1.41-3.81 μm) and stage 4 (<1.41 μm). Virus-induced cytopathic effects appeared only in cells exposed to particles collected in stages 3 and 4, demonstrating the presence of viable OC43 in particles <3.81 μm. This study demonstrates the dual utility of the BC-VIVAS as particle size-fractionating air sampler and a direct exposure system for aerosolized viruses. Such utility may help minimize conventional post-collection sample processing time required to assess the viability of airborne viruses and increase the understanding about transmission pathways for airborne pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sripriya Nannu Shankar
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - William B. Vass
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - John A. Lednicky
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Tracey Logan
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Rebeccah L. Messcher
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | | | | | - Tara Sabo-Attwood
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Chang-Yu Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33146, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Qiu G, Zhang X, deMello AJ, Yao M, Cao J, Wang J. On-site airborne pathogen detection for infection risk mitigation. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:8531-8579. [PMID: 37882143 PMCID: PMC10712221 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00417a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Human-infecting pathogens that transmit through the air pose a significant threat to public health. As a prominent instance, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that caused the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world in an unprecedented manner over the past few years. Despite the dissipating pandemic gloom, the lessons we have learned in dealing with pathogen-laden aerosols should be thoroughly reviewed because the airborne transmission risk may have been grossly underestimated. From a bioanalytical chemistry perspective, on-site airborne pathogen detection can be an effective non-pharmaceutic intervention (NPI) strategy, with on-site airborne pathogen detection and early-stage infection risk evaluation reducing the spread of disease and enabling life-saving decisions to be made. In light of this, we summarize the recent advances in highly efficient pathogen-laden aerosol sampling approaches, bioanalytical sensing technologies, and the prospects for airborne pathogen exposure measurement and evidence-based transmission interventions. We also discuss open challenges facing general bioaerosols detection, such as handling complex aerosol samples, improving sensitivity for airborne pathogen quantification, and establishing a risk assessment system with high spatiotemporal resolution for mitigating airborne transmission risks. This review provides a multidisciplinary outlook for future opportunities to improve the on-site airborne pathogen detection techniques, thereby enhancing the preparedness for more on-site bioaerosols measurement scenarios, such as monitoring high-risk pathogens on airplanes, weaponized pathogen aerosols, influenza variants at the workplace, and pollutant correlated with sick building syndromes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Qiu
- Institute of Medical Robotics, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Xiaole Zhang
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Andrew J deMello
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg1, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Maosheng Yao
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, China
| | - Junji Cao
- Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8093, Switzerland
- Laboratory for Advanced Analytical Technologies, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Styles CT, Zhou J, Flight KE, Brown JC, Lewis C, Wang X, Vanden Oever M, Peacock TP, Wang Z, Millns R, O'Neill JS, Borodavka A, Grove J, Barclay WS, Tregoning JS, Edgar RS. Propylene glycol inactivates respiratory viruses and prevents airborne transmission. EMBO Mol Med 2023; 15:e17932. [PMID: 37970627 PMCID: PMC10701621 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202317932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are vulnerable as they transmit between hosts, and we aimed to exploit this critical window. We found that the ubiquitous, safe, inexpensive and biodegradable small molecule propylene glycol (PG) has robust virucidal activity. Propylene glycol rapidly inactivates a broad range of viruses including influenza A, SARS-CoV-2 and rotavirus and reduces disease burden in mice when administered intranasally at concentrations commonly found in nasal sprays. Most critically, vaporised PG efficiently abolishes influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2 infectivity within airborne droplets, potently preventing infection at levels well below those tolerated by mammals. We present PG vapour as a first-in-class non-toxic airborne virucide that can prevent transmission of existing and emergent viral pathogens, with clear and immediate implications for public health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jie Zhou
- Department of Infectious DiseaseImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Katie E Flight
- Department of Infectious DiseaseImperial College LondonLondonUK
- Present address:
University College LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Charlotte Lewis
- MRC‐University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchGlasgowUK
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Michael Vanden Oever
- Department of Infectious DiseaseImperial College LondonLondonUK
- Present address:
Life Edit TherapeuticsMorrisvilleNCUSA
| | | | - Ziyin Wang
- Department of Infectious DiseaseImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Rosie Millns
- Department of Infectious DiseaseImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | | | | | - Joe Grove
- MRC‐University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchGlasgowUK
| | - Wendy S Barclay
- Department of Infectious DiseaseImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Rachel S Edgar
- Department of Infectious DiseaseImperial College LondonLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Alsved M, Nyström K, Thuresson S, Nygren D, Patzi-Churqui M, Hussein T, Fraenkel CJ, Medstrand P, Löndahl J. Infectivity of exhaled SARS-CoV-2 aerosols is sufficient to transmit covid-19 within minutes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21245. [PMID: 38040798 PMCID: PMC10692216 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47829-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Exhaled SARS-CoV-2-containing aerosols contributed significantly to the rapid and vast spread of covid-19. However, quantitative experimental data on the infectivity of such aerosols is missing. Here, we quantified emission rates of infectious viruses in exhaled aerosol from individuals within their first days after symptom onset from covid-19. Six aerosol samples from three individuals were culturable, of which five were successfully quantified using TCID50. The source strength of the three individuals was highest during singing, when they exhaled 4, 36, or 127 TCID50/s, respectively. Calculations with an indoor air transmission model showed that if an infected individual with this emission rate entered a room, a susceptible person would inhale an infectious dose within 6 to 37 min in a room with normal ventilation. Thus, our data show that exhaled aerosols from a single person can transmit covid-19 to others within minutes at normal indoor conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Malin Alsved
- Division of Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Lund University, Box 118, 22100, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Kristina Nyström
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, 41346, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 41346, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sara Thuresson
- Division of Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Lund University, Box 118, 22100, Lund, Sweden
| | - David Nygren
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22100, Lund, Sweden
| | - Marianela Patzi-Churqui
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, 41346, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 41346, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tareq Hussein
- Environmental and Atmospheric Research Laboratory (EARL), Department of Physics, School of Science, The University of Jordan, Amman, 11942, Jordan
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR/Physics), University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Carl-Johan Fraenkel
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22100, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infection Control, Region Skåne, 22185, Lund, Sweden
| | - Patrik Medstrand
- Department of Translational Medicine, Clinical Virology, Lund University, 22100, Lund, Sweden
- SciLifeLab, Lund University, 22100, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jakob Löndahl
- Division of Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, Department of Design Sciences, Lund University, Box 118, 22100, Lund, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Ijaz MK, Sattar SA, Nims RW, Boone SA, McKinney J, Gerba CP. Environmental dissemination of respiratory viruses: dynamic interdependencies of respiratory droplets, aerosols, aerial particulates, environmental surfaces, and contribution of viral re-aerosolization. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16420. [PMID: 38025703 PMCID: PMC10680453 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
During the recent pandemic of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), influential public health agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have favored the view that SARS CoV-2 spreads predominantly via droplets. Many experts in aerobiology have openly opposed that stance, forcing a vigorous debate on the topic. In this review, we discuss the various proposed modes of viral transmission, stressing the interdependencies between droplet, aerosol, and fomite spread. Relative humidity and temperature prevailing determine the rates at which respiratory aerosols and droplets emitted from an expiratory event (sneezing, coughing, etc.) evaporate to form smaller droplets or aerosols, or experience hygroscopic growth. Gravitational settling of droplets may result in contamination of environmental surfaces (fomites). Depending upon human, animal and mechanical activities in the occupied space indoors, viruses deposited on environmental surfaces may be re-aerosolized (re-suspended) to contribute to aerosols, and can be conveyed on aerial particulate matter such as dust and allergens. The transmission of respiratory viruses may then best be viewed as resulting from dynamic virus spread from infected individuals to susceptible individuals by various physical states of active respiratory emissions, instead of the current paradigm that emphasizes separate dissemination by respiratory droplets, aerosols or by contaminated fomites. To achieve the optimum outcome in terms of risk mitigation and infection prevention and control (IPAC) during seasonal infection peaks, outbreaks, and pandemics, this holistic view emphasizes the importance of dealing with all interdependent transmission modalities, rather than focusing on one modality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M. Khalid Ijaz
- Global Research & Development for Lysol and Dettol, Reckitt Benckiser LLC, Montvale, NJ, United States of America
| | - Syed A. Sattar
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Stephanie A. Boone
- Water & Energy Sustainable Technology Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| | - Julie McKinney
- Global Research & Development for Lysol and Dettol, Reckitt Benckiser LLC, Montvale, NJ, United States of America
| | - Charles P. Gerba
- Water & Energy Sustainable Technology Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
da Silva PG, Hemnani M, Gonçalves J, Rodriguéz E, García-Encina PA, Nascimento MSJ, Sousa SIV, Myrmel M, Mesquita JR. Airborne SARS-CoV-2 is more frequently detected in environments related to children and elderly but likely non-infectious, Norway, 2022. Virol J 2023; 20:275. [PMID: 38001529 PMCID: PMC10675927 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02243-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in indoor and outdoor environments in two cities in Norway between April and May 2022. With the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the country and a focus on vaccination, this research aims to shed light on the potential for virus transmission in various settings. Air sampling was conducted in healthcare and non-healthcare facilities, covering locations frequented by individuals across different age groups. The study found that out of 31 air samples, only four showed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR, with no viable virus detected after RNAse pre-treatment. These positive samples were primarily associated with environments involving children and the elderly. Notably, sequencing revealed mutations associated with increased infectivity in one of the samples. The results highlight the importance of considering children as potential sources of virus transmission, especially in settings with prolonged indoor exposure. As vaccination coverage increases globally, and with children still representing a substantial unvaccinated population, the study emphasizes the need to re-implement mask-wearing mandates indoors and in public transport to reduce virus transmission. The findings have implications for public health strategies to control COVID-19, particularly in the face of new variants and the potential for increased transmission during the autumn and winter seasons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Gomes da Silva
- ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mahima Hemnani
- ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal
| | - José Gonçalves
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, Valladolid University, Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid, 47011, Spain
| | - Elisa Rodriguéz
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, Valladolid University, Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid, 47011, Spain
| | - Pedro A García-Encina
- Institute of Sustainable Processes, Valladolid University, Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid, 47011, Spain
| | | | - Sofia I V Sousa
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mette Myrmel
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - João R Mesquita
- ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, Porto, Portugal.
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
- Laboratório para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), Porto, Portugal.
- Virology Unit, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Cizmic A, Eichel VM, Weidner NM, Wise PA, Müller F, Rompen IF, Bartenschlager R, Schnitzler P, Nickel F, Müller-Stich BP. Viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in surgical smoke in minimally invasive and open surgery: a single-center prospective clinical trial. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20299. [PMID: 37985848 PMCID: PMC10662446 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47058-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was assumed that SARS-CoV-2 could be transmitted through surgical smoke generated by electrocauterization. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) was targeted due to potentially higher concentrations of the SARS-CoV-2 particles in the pneumoperitoneum. Some surgical societies even recommended open surgery instead of MIS to prevent the potential spread of SARS-CoV-2 from the pneumoperitoneum. This study aimed to detect SARS-CoV-2 in surgical smoke during open and MIS. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who underwent open surgery or MIS at Heidelberg University Hospital were included in the study. A control group of patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection undergoing MIS or open surgery was included for comparison. The trial was approved by the Ethics Committee of Heidelberg University Medical School (S-098/2021). The following samples were collected: nasopharyngeal and intraabdominal swabs, blood, urine, surgical smoke, and air samples from the operating room. An SKC BioSampler was used to sample the surgical smoke from the pneumoperitoneum during MIS and the approximate surgical field during open surgery in 15 ml of sterilized phosphate-buffered saline. An RT-PCR test was performed on all collected samples to detect SARS-CoV-2 viral particles. Twelve patients with proven SARS-CoV-2 infection underwent open abdominal surgery. Two SARS-CoV-2-positive patients underwent an MIS procedure. The control group included 24 patients: 12 underwent open surgery and 12 MIS. One intraabdominal swab in a patient with SARS-CoV-2 infection was positive for SARS-CoV-2. However, during both open surgery and MIS, none of the surgical smoke samples showed any detectable viral particles of SARS-CoV-2. The air samples collected at the end of the surgical procedure showed no viral particles of SARS-CoV-2. Major complications (CD ≥ IIIa) were more often observed in SARS-CoV-2 positive patients (10 vs. 4, p = 0.001). This study showed no detectable viral particles of SARS-CoV-2 in surgical smoke sampled during MIS and open surgery. Thus, the discussed risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via surgical smoke could not be confirmed in the present study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amila Cizmic
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Vanessa M Eichel
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Section Infection Control University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niklas M Weidner
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philipp A Wise
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Müller
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ingmar F Rompen
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Bartenschlager
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paul Schnitzler
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Virology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Nickel
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Beat P Müller-Stich
- Department of Digestive Surgery, University Digestive Healthcare Center Basel, Kleinriehenstrasse 30, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Voidarou C, Rozos G, Stavropoulou E, Giorgi E, Stefanis C, Vakadaris G, Vaou N, Tsigalou C, Kourkoutas Y, Bezirtzoglou E. COVID-19 on the spectrum: a scoping review of hygienic standards. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1202216. [PMID: 38026326 PMCID: PMC10646607 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1202216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, rapidly escalated into a worldwide public health crisis. Despite numerous clinical treatment endeavors, initial defenses against the virus primarily relied on hygiene practices like mask-wearing, meticulous hand hygiene (using soap or antiseptic solutions), and maintaining social distancing. Even with the subsequent advent of vaccines and the commencement of mass vaccination campaigns, these hygiene measures persistently remain in effect, aiming to curb virus transmission until the achievement of herd immunity. In this scoping review, we delve into the effectiveness of these measures and the diverse transmission pathways, focusing on the intricate interplay within the food network. Furthermore, we explore the virus's pathophysiology, considering its survival on droplets of varying sizes, each endowed with distinct aerodynamic attributes that influence disease dispersion dynamics. While respiratory transmission remains the predominant route, the potential for oral-fecal transmission should not be disregarded, given the protracted presence of viral RNA in patients' feces after the infection period. Addressing concerns about food as a potential viral vector, uncertainties shroud the virus's survivability and potential to contaminate consumers indirectly. Hence, a meticulous and comprehensive hygienic strategy remains paramount in our collective efforts to combat this pandemic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Georgios Rozos
- Veterinary Directorate, South Aegean Region, Ermoupolis, Greece
| | - Elisavet Stavropoulou
- Department of Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elpida Giorgi
- Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Christos Stefanis
- Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Georgios Vakadaris
- Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Natalia Vaou
- Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Christina Tsigalou
- Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Yiannis Kourkoutas
- Laboratory of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Eugenia Bezirtzoglou
- Laboratory of Hygiene and Environmental Protection, Department of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Rashid SA, Nazakat R, Muhamad Robat R, Ismail R, Suppiah J, Rajendran K, Raj Louis Masalamany ASS, Muhamad Hendri NA, Mohamad N, Khairul Hasni NA, Suib FA, Nik Hassan NMN, Pahrol MA, Shaharudin R. Droplet digital PCR application for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in air sample. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1208348. [PMID: 37965510 PMCID: PMC10641526 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1208348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may transmit through airborne route particularly when the aerosol particles remain in enclosed spaces with inadequate ventilation. There has been no standard recommended method of determining the virus in air due to limitations in pre-analytical and technical aspects. Furthermore, the presence of low virus loads in air samples could result in false negatives. Our study aims to explore the feasibility of detecting SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) in air samples using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR). Active and passive air sampling was conducted between December 2021 and February 2022 with the presence of COVID-19 confirmed cases in two hospitals and a quarantine center in Klang Valley, Malaysia. SARS-CoV-2 RNA in air was detected and quantified using ddPCR and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The comparability of two different digital PCR platforms (QX200 and QIAcuity) to RT-PCR were also investigated. Additionally negative staining transmission electron microscopy was performed to visualize virus ultrastructure. Detection rates of SARS-CoV-2 in air samples using ddPCR were higher compared to RT-PCR, which were 15.2% (22/145) and 3.4% (5/145), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of ddPCR was 100 and 87%, respectively. After excluding 17 negative samples (50%) by both QX200 and QIAcuity, 15% samples (5/34) were found to be positive both ddPCR and dPCR. There were 23.5% (8/34) samples that were detected positive by ddPCR but negative by dPCR. In contrast, there were 11.7% (4/34) samples that were detected positive by dPCR but negative by ddPCR. The SARS-CoV-2 detection method by ddPCR is precise and has a high sensitivity for viral RNA detection. It could provide advances in determining low viral titter in air samples to reduce false negative reports, which could complement detection by RT-PCR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siti Aishah Rashid
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Raheel Nazakat
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rosnawati Muhamad Robat
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rohaida Ismail
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Jeyanthi Suppiah
- Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Kamesh Rajendran
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - A. S. Santhana Raj Louis Masalamany
- Special Resource Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nur Afrina Muhamad Hendri
- Special Resource Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nadia Mohamad
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Amalina Khairul Hasni
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Fatin Amirah Suib
- Infectious Disease Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nik Muhamad Nizam Nik Hassan
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Alfatih Pahrol
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Rafiza Shaharudin
- Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
David SC, Vadas O, Glas I, Schaub A, Luo B, D'angelo G, Montoya JP, Bluvshtein N, Hugentobler W, Klein LK, Motos G, Pohl M, Violaki K, Nenes A, Krieger UK, Stertz S, Peter T, Kohn T. Inactivation mechanisms of influenza A virus under pH conditions encountered in aerosol particles as revealed by whole-virus HDX-MS. mSphere 2023; 8:e0022623. [PMID: 37594288 PMCID: PMC10597348 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00226-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple respiratory viruses, including influenza A virus (IAV), can be transmitted via expiratory aerosol particles, and aerosol pH was recently identified as a major factor influencing airborne virus infectivity. Indoors, small exhaled aerosols undergo rapid acidification to pH ~4. IAV is known to be sensitive to mildly acidic conditions encountered within host endosomes; however, it is unknown whether the same mechanisms could mediate viral inactivation within the more acidic aerosol micro-environment. Here, we identified that transient exposure to pH 4 caused IAV inactivation by a two-stage process, with an initial sharp decline in infectious titers mainly attributed to premature attainment of the post-fusion conformation of viral protein haemagglutinin (HA). Protein changes were observed by hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) as early as 10 s post-exposure to acidic conditions. Our HDX-MS data are in agreement with other more labor-intensive structural analysis techniques, such as X-ray crystallography, highlighting the ease and usefulness of whole-virus HDX-MS for multiplexed protein analyses, even within enveloped viruses such as IAV. Additionally, virion integrity was partially but irreversibly affected by acidic conditions, with a progressive unfolding of the internal matrix protein 1 (M1) that aligned with a more gradual decline in viral infectivity with time. In contrast, no acid-mediated changes to the genome or lipid envelope were detected. Improved understanding of respiratory virus fate within exhaled aerosols constitutes a global public health priority, and information gained here could aid the development of novel strategies to control the airborne persistence of seasonal and/or pandemic influenza in the future. IMPORTANCE It is well established that COVID-19, influenza, and many other respiratory diseases can be transmitted by the inhalation of aerosolized viruses. Many studies have shown that the survival time of these airborne viruses is limited, but it remains an open question as to what drives their infectivity loss. Here, we address this question for influenza A virus by investigating structural protein changes incurred by the virus under conditions relevant to respiratory aerosol particles. From prior work, we know that expelled aerosols can become highly acidic due to equilibration with indoor room air, and our results indicate that two viral proteins are affected by these acidic conditions at multiple sites, leading to virus inactivation. Our findings suggest that the development of air treatments to quicken the speed of aerosol acidification would be a major strategy to control infectious bioburdens in the air.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon C. David
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Oscar Vadas
- Protein Platform, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Irina Glas
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Aline Schaub
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Beiping Luo
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Giovanni D'angelo
- Laboratory of Lipid Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Interschool Institute of Bioengineering and Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan Paz Montoya
- Laboratory of Lipid Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Interschool Institute of Bioengineering and Global Health Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nir Bluvshtein
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Walter Hugentobler
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Liviana K. Klein
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ghislain Motos
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marie Pohl
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kalliopi Violaki
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Athanasios Nenes
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Processes and their Impacts, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Patras, Greece
| | - Ulrich K. Krieger
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Silke Stertz
- Institute of Medical Virology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Peter
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climate Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Tamar Kohn
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Garrett TJ, Coatsworth H, Mahmud I, Hamerly T, Stephenson CJ, Ayers JB, Yazd HS, Miller MR, Lednicky JA, Dinglasan RR. Niclosamide as a chemical probe for analyzing SARS-CoV-2 modulation of host cell lipid metabolism. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1251065. [PMID: 37901834 PMCID: PMC10603251 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1251065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction SARS-CoV-2 subverts host cell processes to facilitate rapid replication and dissemination, and this leads to pathological inflammation. Methods We used niclosamide (NIC), a poorly soluble anti-helminth drug identified initially for repurposed treatment of COVID-19, which activates the cells' autophagic and lipophagic processes as a chemical probe to determine if it can modulate the host cell's total lipid profile that would otherwise be either amplified or reduced during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results Through parallel lipidomic and transcriptomic analyses we observed massive reorganization of lipid profiles of SARS-CoV-2 infected Vero E6 cells, especially with triglycerides, which were elevated early during virus replication, but decreased thereafter, as well as plasmalogens, which were elevated at later timepoints during virus replication, but were also elevated under normal cell growth. These findings suggested a complex interplay of lipid profile reorganization involving plasmalogen metabolism. We also observed that NIC treatment of both low and high viral loads does not affect virus entry. Instead, NIC treatment reduced the abundance of plasmalogens, diacylglycerides, and ceramides, which we found elevated during virus infection in the absence of NIC, resulting in a significant reduction in the production of infectious virions. Unexpectedly, at higher viral loads, NIC treatment also resulted in elevated triglyceride levels, and induced significant changes in phospholipid metabolism. Discussion We posit that future screens of approved or new partner drugs should prioritize compounds that effectively counter SARS-CoV-2 subversion of lipid metabolism, thereby reducing virus replication, egress, and the subsequent regulation of key lipid mediators of pathological inflammation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Garrett
- Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Southeast Center for Integrated Metabolomics, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Heather Coatsworth
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Iqbal Mahmud
- Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Southeast Center for Integrated Metabolomics, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Timothy Hamerly
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Caroline J. Stephenson
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jasmine B. Ayers
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Hoda S. Yazd
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Megan R. Miller
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - John A. Lednicky
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Rhoel R. Dinglasan
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Boydston JA, Biryukov J, Yeager JJ, Zimmerman HA, Williams G, Green B, Reese AL, Beck K, Bohannon JK, Miller D, Freeburger D, Graham A, Wahl V, Hevey MC, Dabisch PA. Aerosol Particle Size Influences the Infectious Dose and Disease Severity in a Golden Syrian Hamster Model of Inhalational COVID-19. J Aerosol Med Pulm Drug Deliv 2023; 36:235-245. [PMID: 37262184 PMCID: PMC10615081 DOI: 10.1089/jamp.2022.0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Significant evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted via respiratory aerosols, which are known to vary as a function of respiratory activity. Most animal models examine disease presentation following inhalation of small-particle aerosols similar to those generated during quiet breathing or speaking. However, despite evidence that particle size can influence dose-infectivity relationships and disease presentation for other microorganisms, no studies have examined the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 contained in larger particle aerosols similar to those produced during coughing, singing, or talking. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the influence of aerodynamic diameter on the infectivity and virulence of aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2 in a hamster model of inhalational COVID-19. Methods: Dose-response relationships were assessed for two different aerosol particle size distributions, with mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMADs) of 1.3 and 5.2 μm in groups of Syrian hamsters exposed to aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2. Results: Disease was characterized by viral shedding in oropharyngeal swabs, increased respiratory rate, decreased activity, and decreased weight gain. Aerosol particle size significantly influenced the median doses to induce seroconversion and viral shedding, with both increasing ∼30-fold when the MMAD was increased. In addition, disease presentation was dose-dependent, with seroconversion and viral shedding occurring at lower doses than symptomatic disease characterized by increased respiratory rate and decreased activity. Conclusions: These results suggest that aerosol particle size may be an important factor influencing the risk of COVID-19 transmission and needs to be considered when developing animal models of disease. This result agrees with numerous previous studies with other microorganisms and animal species, suggesting that it would be generally translatable across different species. However, it should be noted that the absolute magnitude of the observed shifts in the median doses obtained with the specific particle sizes utilized herein may not be directly applicable to other species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy A. Boydston
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer Biryukov
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - John J. Yeager
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather A. Zimmerman
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Gregory Williams
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Brian Green
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Amy L. Reese
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Katie Beck
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jordan K. Bohannon
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - David Miller
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Denise Freeburger
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Amanda Graham
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Victoria Wahl
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael C. Hevey
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Paul A. Dabisch
- National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center (NBACC), Operated by Battelle National Biodefense Institute for the US Department of Homeland Security, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Acharya A, Surbaugh K, Thurman M, Wickramaratne C, Myers P, Mittal R, Pandey K, Klug E, Stein SJ, Ravnholdt AR, Herrera VL, Rivera DN, Williams P, Santarpia JL, Kaushik A, Dhau JS, Byrareddy SN. Efficient trapping and destruction of SARS-CoV-2 using PECO-assisted Molekule air purifiers in the laboratory and real-world settings. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 264:115487. [PMID: 37729804 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted human-to-human via aerosols and air-borne droplets. Therefore, capturing and destroying viruses from indoor premises are essential to reduce the probability of human exposure and virus transmission. While the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems help in reducing the indoor viral load, a targeted approach is required to effectively remove SARS-CoV-2 from indoor air to address human exposure concerns. The present study demonstrates efficient trapping and destruction of SARS-CoV-2 via nano-enabled filter technology using the UV-A-stimulated photoelectrochemical oxidation (PECO) process. Aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2 were generated by nebulization inside an air-controlled test chamber where an air purifier (Air Mini+) was placed. The study demonstrated the efficient removal of SARS-CoV-2 (99.98 %) from the test chamber in less than two minutes and PECO-assisted destruction (over 99%) on the filtration media in 1 h. Furthermore, in a real-world scenario, the Molekule Air-Pro air purifier removed SARS-CoV-2 (a negative RT-qPCR result post-running the filter device) from the circulating air in a COVID-19 testing facility. Overall, the ability of two FDA-approved class II medical devices, Molekule Air-Mini+ and Air-Pro air purifiers, to remove and destroy SARS-CoV-2 in indoor settings was successfully demonstrated. The study indicates that as the "tripledemic" of COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) overwhelm the healthcare facilities in the USA, the use of a portable air filtration device will help contain the spread of the viruses in close door facilities, such as in schools and daycare facilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arpan Acharya
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA
| | - Kerri Surbaugh
- Research and Development, Molekule, Inc., 3802 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Michellie Thurman
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA
| | | | - Philip Myers
- Research and Development, Molekule, Inc., 3802 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Rajat Mittal
- Clean Energy Research Center, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Kabita Pandey
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA
| | - Elizabeth Klug
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA
| | - Sarah J Stein
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ashley R Ravnholdt
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Vicki L Herrera
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Danielle N Rivera
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Paul Williams
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Joshua L Santarpia
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ajeet Kaushik
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Florida Polytechnic University, 4700 Research Way, Lakeland, FL 33805, USA; Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA
| | - Jaspreet S Dhau
- Research and Development, Molekule, Inc., 3802 Spectrum Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
| | - Siddappa N Byrareddy
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA; Department of Environmental Engineering, Florida Polytechnic University, 4700 Research Way, Lakeland, FL 33805, USA; Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Talukdar D, Marchetti R, Pileci RE. Rapid Environmental Monitoring, Capture, and Destruction Activities of SARS-CoV-2 and Bacterial Pathogens During the COVID-19 Health Emergency. Cureus 2023; 15:e46851. [PMID: 37954701 PMCID: PMC10637348 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is a health emergency for occupational healthcare workers at COVID-19 hospital wards in Italy. The objective of the study was to investigate the bioreactor's effectivity in monitoring and improving air quality via detection, capture, and destruction of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and bacterial pathogens, reducing the risk of transmission among healthcare workers. METHODS Bioreactors are a demonstrated effective biomonitoring system. We implemented a methodological approach wherein they were placed at various hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in Italy. The detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was achieved through rapid biomonitoring testing of the solutes from the AIRcel bioreactors via SARS-CoV-2 rapid test antigen and consecutive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis with the multiplex platform (XABT) and the real-time PCR rotor-gene. RESULTS The marked presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was found in multiple water samples via the detection of ORF1ab + N and/or E gene involved in gene expression and cellular signaling of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The AIRcel bioreactors were able to neutralize the virus and bacterial pathogens effectively as traces of the viruses and bacteria were no longer found in multiple solute samples after an overnight period. CONCLUSIONS Transmission of COVID-19 via bioaerosols, transmitted by infected patients, remains a viable threat for health workers. AIRcel bioreactors allow for rapid biomonitoring testing for early virus detection within the environment, reducing the risk of exponential contagion exposure and maintaining good air quality without endangering health workers. This same protocol can also be extended to public spaces as a bio-monitoring hotspot tool for early detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debjyoti Talukdar
- Medical Research, Mkhitar Gosh Armenian-Russian International University, Yerevan, ARM
| | - Roberto Marchetti
- Internal Medicine, Laboratori Clodia Diagnostics & Services, Bolzano, ITA
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Poydenot F, Lebreton A, Haiech J, Andreotti B. At the crossroads of epidemiology and biology: Bridging the gap between SARS-CoV-2 viral strain properties and epidemic wave characteristics. Biochimie 2023; 213:54-65. [PMID: 36931337 PMCID: PMC10017177 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to numerous articles from different scientific fields (epidemiology, virology, immunology, airflow physics …) without any effort to link these different insights. In this review, we aim to establish relationships between epidemiological data and the characteristics of the virus strain responsible for the epidemic wave concerned. We have carried out this study on the Wuhan, Alpha, Delta and Omicron strains allowing us to illustrate the evolution of the relationships we have highlighted according to these different viral strains. We addressed the following questions. 1) How can the mean infectious dose (one quantum, by definition in epidemiology) be measured and expressed as an amount of viral RNA molecules (in genome units, GU) or as a number of replicative viral particles (in plaque-forming units, PFU)? 2) How many infectious quanta are exhaled by an infected person per unit of time? 3) How many infectious quanta are exhaled, on average, integrated over the whole contagious period? 4) How do these quantities relate to the epidemic reproduction rate R as measured in epidemiology, and to the viral load, as measured by molecular biological methods? 5) How has the infectious dose evolved with the different strains of SARS-CoV-2? We make use of state-of-the-art modelling, reviewed and explained in the appendix of the article (Supplemental Information, SI), to answer these questions using data from the literature in both epidemiology and virology. We have considered the modification of these relationships according to the vaccination status of the population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florian Poydenot
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (LPENS), CNRS UMR 8023, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, and Université de Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Alice Lebreton
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), École Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005, Paris, France; INRAE, Micalis Institute, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Jacques Haiech
- CNRS UMR7242 BSC ESBS, 300 Bd Sébastien Brant, CS 10413, 67412, Illkirch cedex, France.
| | - Bruno Andreotti
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (LPENS), CNRS UMR 8023, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, and Université de Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Chow VTK, Tay DJW, Chen MIC, Tang JW, Milton DK, Tham KW. Influenza A and B Viruses in Fine Aerosols of Exhaled Breath Samples from Patients in Tropical Singapore. Viruses 2023; 15:2033. [PMID: 37896810 PMCID: PMC10612062 DOI: 10.3390/v15102033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory illness that commonly causes outbreaks among human communities. Details about the exact nature of the droplets produced by human respiratory activities such as breathing, and their potential to carry and transmit influenza A and B viruses is still not fully understood. The objective of our study was to characterize and quantify influenza viral shedding in exhaled aerosols from natural patient breath, and to determine their viral infectivity among participants in a university cohort in tropical Singapore. Using the Gesundheit-II exhaled breath sampling apparatus, samples of exhaled breath of two aerosol size fractions ("coarse" > 5 µm and "fine" ≤ 5 µm) were collected and analyzed from 31 study participants, i.e., 24 with influenza A (including H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes) and 7 with influenza B (including Victoria and Yamagata lineages). Influenza viral copy number was quantified using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Infectivity of influenza virus in the fine particle fraction was determined by culturing in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Exhaled influenza virus RNA generation rates ranged from 9 to 1.67 × 105 and 10 to 1.24 × 104 influenza virus RNA copies per minute for the fine and coarse aerosol fractions, respectively. Compared to the coarse aerosol fractions, influenza A and B viruses were detected more frequently in the fine aerosol fractions that harbored 12-fold higher viral loads. Culturable virus was recovered from the fine aerosol fractions from 9 of the 31 subjects (29%). These findings constitute additional evidence to reiterate the important role of fine aerosols in influenza transmission and provide a baseline range of influenza virus RNA generation rates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent T. K. Chow
- Infectious Diseases Translational Research Program, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117545, Singapore;
| | - Douglas Jie Wen Tay
- Infectious Diseases Translational Research Program, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117545, Singapore;
| | - Mark I. C. Chen
- Research Office, National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore 308442, Singapore;
| | - Julian W. Tang
- Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK;
| | - Donald K. Milton
- Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD 20742, USA;
| | - Kwok Wai Tham
- Department of the Built Environment, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117356, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Lee D, Jang J, Jang J. Sensitive and highly rapid electrochemical measurement of airborne coronaviruses through condensation-based direct impaction onto carbon nanotube-coated porous paper working electrodes. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 458:131972. [PMID: 37399725 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Rapid detection of indoor airborne viruses is critical to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. Herein, we present sensitive, highly rapid electrochemical measurement of airborne coronaviruses through condensation-based direct impaction onto antibody-immobilized, carbon nanotube-coated porous paper working electrodes (PWEs). Carboxylated carbon nanotubes are drop-cast on paper fibers to make three-dimensional (3D) porous PWEs. These PWEs have higher active surface area-to-volume ratios and electron transfer characteristics than conventional screen-printed electrodes. The limit of detection and detection time of the PWEs for liquid-borne coronaviruses OC43 are 65.7 plaque-forming units (PFU)/mL and 2 min, respectively. The PWEs showed sensitive and rapid detection of whole coronaviruses, which can be ascribed to the 3D porous electrode structure of the PWEs. Moreover, water molecules condense on airborne virus particles during air sampling, and these water-encapsulated virus particles (<4 µm) are impacted on the PWE for direct measurement without virus lysis and elution. The whole detection takes ∼10 min, including air sampling, at virus concentrations of 1.8 and 11.5 PFU/L of air, which can be due to the highly enriching and minimally damaging virus capture on a soft and porous PWE, demonstrating the potential for the rapid and low-cost airborne virus monitoring system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daesoon Lee
- Sensors and Aerosols Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Junbeom Jang
- Sensors and Aerosols Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaesung Jang
- Sensors and Aerosols Laboratory, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering, UNIST, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Lane G, Zhou G, Hultquist JF, Simons LM, Redondo RL, Ozer EA, McCarthy DM, Ison MG, Achenbach CJ, Wang X, Wai CM, Wyatt E, Aalsburg A, Yang Q, Noto T, Alisoltani A, Ysselstein D, Awatramani R, Murphy R, Theron G, Zelano C. Quantity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA copies exhaled per minute during natural breathing over the course of COVID-19 infection. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.09.06.23295138. [PMID: 37732212 PMCID: PMC10508818 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.06.23295138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is spread through exhaled breath of infected individuals. A fundamental question in understanding transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is how much virus an individual is exhaling into the environment while they breathe, over the course of their infection. Research on viral load dynamics during COVID-19 infection has focused on internal swab specimens, which provide a measure of viral loads inside the respiratory tract, but not on breath. Therefore, the dynamics of viral shedding on exhaled breath over the course of infection are poorly understood. Here, we collected exhaled breath specimens from COVID-19 patients and used RTq-PCR to show that numbers of exhaled SARS-CoV-2 RNA copies during COVID-19 infection do not decrease significantly until day 8 from symptom-onset. COVID-19-positive participants exhaled an average of 80 SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA copies per minute during the first 8 days of infection, with significant variability both between and within individuals, including spikes over 800 copies a minute in some patients. After day 8, there was a steep drop to levels nearing the limit of detection, persisting for up to 20 days. We further found that levels of exhaled viral RNA increased with self-rated symptom-severity, though individual variation was high. Levels of exhaled viral RNA did not differ across age, sex, time of day, vaccination status or viral variant. Our data provide a fine-grained, direct measure of the number of SARS-CoV-2 viral copies exhaled per minute during natural breathing-including 312 breath specimens collected multiple times daily over the course of infection-in order to fill an important gap in our understanding of the time course of exhaled viral loads in COVID-19.
Collapse
|
34
|
Vass WB, Shankar SN, Lednicky JA, Yang Y, Manzanas C, Zhang Y, Boyette J, Chen J, Chen Y, Shirkhani A, Washeem M, Fan ZH, Eiguren-Fernandez A, Jutla A, Wu CY. Detection and isolation of infectious SARS-CoV-2 omicron subvariants collected from residential settings. AEROSOL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR AEROSOL RESEARCH 2023; 57:1142-1153. [PMID: 38143528 PMCID: PMC10735208 DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2023.2251537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Airborne transmission of infectious (viable) SARS-CoV-2 is increasingly accepted as the primary manner by which the virus is spread from person to person. Risk of exposure to airborne virus is higher in enclosed and poorly ventilated spaces. We present a study focused on air sampling within residences occupied by individuals with COVID-19. Air samplers (BioSpot-VIVAS, VIVAS, and BC-251) were positioned in primary- and secondary-occupancy regions in seven homes. Swab samples were collected from high-touch surfaces. Isolation of SARS-CoV-2 was attempted for samples with virus detectable by RT-qPCR. Viable virus was quantified by plaque assay, and complete virus genome sequences were obtained for selected samples from each sampling day. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in 24 of 125 samples (19.2%) by RT-qPCR and isolated from 14 (11.2%) in cell cultures. It was detected in 80.9% (17/21) and cultured from 61.9% (13/21) of air samples collected using water condensation samplers, compared to swab samples which had a RT-qPCR detection rate of 10.5% (4/38) and virus isolation rate of 2.63% (1/38). No statistically significant differences existed in the likelihood of virus detection by RT-qPCR or amount of infectious virus in the air between areas of primary and secondary occupancy within residences. Our work provides information about the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the air within homes of individuals with COVID-19. Information herein can help individuals make informed decisions about personal exposure risks when sharing indoor spaces with infected individuals isolating at home and further inform health departments and the public about SARS-CoV-2 exposure risks within residences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William B. Vass
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Sripriya Nannu Shankar
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - John A. Lednicky
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Statistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Carlos Manzanas
- Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yuetong Zhang
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jessica Boyette
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jiayi Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yuqiao Chen
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Amin Shirkhani
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Mo Washeem
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Z. Hugh Fan
- Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | | - Antarpreet Jutla
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Chang-Yu Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Li H, Nannu Shankar S, Witanachchi CT, Lednicky JA, Loeb JC, Alam MM, Fan ZH, Lauzardo M, Mohamed K, Eiguren-Fernandez A, Wu CY. Lack of SARS-CoV-2 in environmental samples collected from September 2020-February 2021 in a university that followed CDC reopening guidance. HYGIENE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ADVANCES 2023; 7:100061. [PMID: 37305381 PMCID: PMC10198740 DOI: 10.1016/j.heha.2023.100061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to provide environmental surveillance data for evaluating the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 in public areas with high foot traffic in a university. Air and surface samples were collected at a university that had the second highest number of COVID-19 cases among public higher education institutions in the U.S. during Fall 2020. A total of 60 samples were collected in 16 sampling events performed during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Nearly 9800 students traversed the sites during the study period. SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in any air or surface samples. The university followed CDC guidance, including COVID-19 testing, case investigations, and contact tracing. Students, faculty, and staff were asked to maintain physical distancing and wear face coverings. Although COVID-19 cases were relatively high at the university, the possibility of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infections at the sites tested was low.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongwan Li
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, USA
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, USA
| | | | | | - John A Lednicky
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, USA
| | - Julia C Loeb
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, USA
| | - Md Mahbubul Alam
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, USA
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, USA
| | - Z Hugh Fan
- Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, USA
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, USA
| | - Michael Lauzardo
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, USA
| | - Karim Mohamed
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, USA
| | | | - Chang-Yu Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, USA
- Department of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Mortazavi H, Sarkhosh M, Najafpoor AA, Azizi S, Tabatabaee SS, Davoudi M, Miri HH, Kamika I. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the indoor air and surfaces of subway trains in Mashhad, Iran. Braz J Microbiol 2023; 54:1865-1873. [PMID: 37572180 PMCID: PMC10484835 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-023-01089-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Millions of passengers around the world are concerned with the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 contamination on public transportation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in indoor air and subway surfaces in Mashhad. METHODS In this study, air and surface sampling were done at two times in the morning (7-8:30 a.m.) and evening (3:30-5 p.m.), simultaneously in two wagons for men and women in line 1 of Mashhad Metro in March 2021 to detect the virus and measure the concentration of particulate matter. Totally, 30 air and 30 metro samples were collected and examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS The results showed that three and two cases in the air and surface samples were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, respectively. There was a significant relationship between the mean concentration of suspended particles PM1 (particulate matter smaller than 1 μm) with PM2.5 (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm) and PM10 (particulate matter smaller than 10 μm) (p < 0. 05). There was also a significant relationship between the mean concentration of suspended particles PM2.5 and PM10. The results showed that the mean PM2.5 measured in the indoor air of the Mashhad metro wagon had a significant relationship with WHO and US EPA and national standards, and its value was higher than the standards (p < 0.05). The average particle concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 were equal to 40.46, 42.61, and 48.31 μg/m3. CONCLUSION According to the results of the pollution detected in this study, COVID-19 may be transmitted by air and environmental surfaces. Our study emphasizes the need for continuous assessment of the presence of the virus in public transportation. Detection of viral RNA in subways indicates the necessity of adequate disinfection in public settings, strictness in disinfection methods, strengthening of educational activities for sanitary measures, physical spacing plan, and increasing ventilation of wagons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanieh Mortazavi
- Student Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Maryam Sarkhosh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ali Asghar Najafpoor
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Shohreh Azizi
- UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria, 0002 South Africa
- Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure Road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Somerset West, Western Cape 7131 South Africa
| | - Seyed Saeed Tabatabaee
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mojtaba Davoudi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Hamid Heidarian Miri
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Infant Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Ilunga Kamika
- Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS), School of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), University of South Africa, Florida Campus, Johannesburg, 1709 South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Komariah M, Amirah S, Maulana S, Abdurrahman MF, Ibrahim K, Platini H, Lele JAJMN, Kohar K, Rahayuwati L, Firdaus MKZH. The Efficacy of Herbs as Complementary and Alternative Therapy in Recovery and Clinical Outcome Among People with COVID-19: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression. Ther Clin Risk Manag 2023; 19:611-627. [PMID: 37484695 PMCID: PMC10362865 DOI: 10.2147/tcrm.s405507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic continues, and this condition has caused many cases in various countries around the world, resulting in more than 6 million deaths worldwide. Herbal medicines can act as immunomodulators, anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, antimicrobials, and others depending on the type and content of the herbs used. Previous studies have shown that several types of herbs, such as Echinacea purpurea, Curcumin or Turmeric, Nigella sativa, and Zingiber officinale, have proven their effectiveness as herbal plants for COVID-19. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature search through five databases, namely, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Wiley, and ProQuest to assess the efficacy of phytopharmaceuticals until July 12, 2022. We used the Cochrane RoB 2.0 for the quality assessment of the study. Results Phytopharmaceuticals significantly improved patients' recovery rate (OR = 3.54; p < 0.00001) and reduced deaths (OR = 0.24; p < 0.0001) compared to the control group. Phytopharmaceuticals also performed as a protective factor for COVID-19 clinical symptoms, such as dyspnea (OR = 0.42; p < 0.05) and myalgia (OR = 0.31; p = 0.02) compared to the control group. However, there is no statistically significant effect on cough (OR = 0.76; p = 0.61) and fever (OR = 0.60; p < 0.20). The results were not affected by patients' covariates [hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases (meta-regression p > 0.05)]. Conclusion Herbal medicine has the potential as an adjuvant therapy in the management of COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Komariah
- Department of Fundamental Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
| | - Shakira Amirah
- Undergraduate Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Sidik Maulana
- Nursing Internship Program, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
| | | | - Kusman Ibrahim
- Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
| | - Hesti Platini
- Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
| | | | - Kelvin Kohar
- Clinical Clerkship Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, Central Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Laili Rahayuwati
- Department of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia
| | - Mohd Khairul Zul Hasymi Firdaus
- Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Puthussery JV, Ghumra DP, McBrearty KR, Doherty BM, Sumlin BJ, Sarabandi A, Mandal AG, Shetty NJ, Gardiner WD, Magrecki JP, Brody DL, Esparza TJ, Bricker TL, Boon ACM, Yuede CM, Cirrito JR, Chakrabarty RK. Real-time environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 aerosols. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3692. [PMID: 37429842 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39419-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Real-time surveillance of airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus is a technological gap that has eluded the scientific community since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Offline air sampling techniques for SARS-CoV-2 detection suffer from longer turnaround times and require skilled labor. Here, we present a proof-of-concept pathogen Air Quality (pAQ) monitor for real-time (5 min time resolution) direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 aerosols. The system synergistically integrates a high flow (~1000 lpm) wet cyclone air sampler and a nanobody-based ultrasensitive micro-immunoelectrode biosensor. The wet cyclone showed comparable or better virus sampling performance than commercially available samplers. Laboratory experiments demonstrate a device sensitivity of 77-83% and a limit of detection of 7-35 viral RNA copies/m3 of air. Our pAQ monitor is suited for point-of-need surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants in indoor environments and can be adapted for multiplexed detection of other respiratory pathogens of interest. Widespread adoption of such technology could assist public health officials with implementing rapid disease control measures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph V Puthussery
- Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Dishit P Ghumra
- Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Kevin R McBrearty
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disease, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Brookelyn M Doherty
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disease, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Benjamin J Sumlin
- Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Amirhossein Sarabandi
- Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Anushka Garg Mandal
- Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Nishit J Shetty
- Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Woodrow D Gardiner
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disease, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jordan P Magrecki
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disease, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - David L Brody
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thomas J Esparza
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Traci L Bricker
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Adrianus C M Boon
- Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Departments Molecular Microbiology, and Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Carla M Yuede
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - John R Cirrito
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disease, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - Rajan K Chakrabarty
- Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Hemnani M, Silva PGD, Thompson G, Poeta P, Rebelo H, Mesquita JR. First Report of Alphacoronavirus Circulating in Cavernicolous Bats from Portugal. Viruses 2023; 15:1521. [PMID: 37515207 PMCID: PMC10384150 DOI: 10.3390/v15071521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of novel coronaviruses (CoVs) has emphasized the need to understand their diversity and distribution in animal populations. Bats have been identified as crucial reservoirs for CoVs, and they are found in various bat species worldwide. In this study, we investigated the presence of CoVs of four cavernicolous bats in six locations in the centre and south of Portugal. We collected faeces, anal, and buccal swab samples, as well as air samples from the locations using a Coriolis air sampler. Our results indicate that CoVs were more readily detected in faecal samples compared to anal and buccal swab samples. No CoVs were detected in the air samples. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the detected viruses belong to the Alphacoronavirus genus. This study represents the first report of Alphacoronaviruses circulating in bats in Portugal and highlights the importance of continuous surveillance for novel CoVs in bat populations globally. Ongoing surveillance for CoVs in bat populations is essential as they are a vital source of these viruses. It is crucial to understand the ecological relationships between animals, humans, and the environment to prevent and control the emergence and transmission of infectious diseases. Further ecological studies are needed to investigate the factors contributing to the emergence and transmission of zoonotic viruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahima Hemnani
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Priscilla Gomes da Silva
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório Para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnotlogy and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
| | - Gertrude Thompson
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Patricia Poeta
- Microbiology and Antibiotic Resistance Team (MicroART), Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV-REQUIMTE), University NOVA of Lisbon, 1099-085 Caparica, Portugal
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre, Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- ESS, Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, 2910-761 Setúbal, Portugal
| | - João R Mesquita
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Pan J, Gmati S, Roper BA, Prussin AJ, Hawks SA, Whittington AR, Duggal NK, Marr LC. Stability of Aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 on Masks and Transfer to Skin. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37399494 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
The potential for masks to act as fomites in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been suggested but not demonstrated experimentally or observationally. In this study, we aerosolized a suspension of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva and used a vacuum pump to pull the aerosol through six different types of masks. After 1 h at 28 °C and 80% RH, SARS-CoV-2 infectivity was not detectable on an N95 and surgical mask, was reduced by 0.7 log10 on a nylon/spandex mask, and was unchanged on a polyester mask and two different cotton masks when recovered by elution in a buffer. SARS-CoV-2 RNA remained stable for 1 h on all masks. We pressed artificial skin against the contaminated masks and detected the transfer of viral RNA but no infectious virus to the skin. The potential for masks contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols to act as fomites appears to be less than indicated by studies involving SARS-CoV-2 in very large droplets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Pan
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Selma Gmati
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Bryce A Roper
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Aaron J Prussin
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Seth A Hawks
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Abby R Whittington
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Departments of Chemical Engineering and Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Nisha K Duggal
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Linsey C Marr
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Gruode J, Martinkenas A, Kurmis M, Drungilas D, Lukosius Z, Tadzijevas A, Didziokas R, Jankunas V, Sapalas D. RT-qPCR-Based Assessment of the Efficacy of 222 nm UVC Irradiation in Reducing SARS-CoV-2 Surface Contamination. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:6129. [PMID: 37447977 DOI: 10.3390/s23136129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has emerged as a serious threat to human health worldwide. The effective disinfection of surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 may help prevent its spread. The aim of this study is to determine the duration required for viral RNA elimination by 222 nm far ultraviolet light using RT-qPCR as a tool. This study investigated the effect of 222 nm UVC irradiation on SARS-CoV-2 RNA in an in vitro experiment. The results showed that the copy number of SARS-CoV-2 RNA did not change even after 300 s of 222 nm UVC irradiation at 0.1 mW/cm2, but extending the exposure to more than 600 s reduced the number of copies of SARS-CoV-2 virus significantly. However, to fully validate the results and enhance the robustness of the findings, it is crucial to increase the number of samples analyzed in future experiments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jurate Gruode
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Street 84, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Arvydas Martinkenas
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Street 84, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Mindaugas Kurmis
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Street 84, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Darius Drungilas
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Street 84, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Zydrunas Lukosius
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Street 84, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Arturas Tadzijevas
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Street 84, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Rimantas Didziokas
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Street 84, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Valdas Jankunas
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Street 84, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
| | - Deivydas Sapalas
- Marine Research Institute, Klaipeda University, H. Manto Street 84, LT-92294 Klaipeda, Lithuania
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Martínez-Espinosa E, Carvajal-Mariscal I. Virus-laden droplet nuclei in vortical structures associated with recirculation zones in indoor environments: A possible airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANCES 2023; 12:100376. [PMID: 37193349 PMCID: PMC10163794 DOI: 10.1016/j.envadv.2023.100376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Droplet nuclei dispersion patterns in indoor environments are reviewed from a physics view to explore the possibility of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This review analyzes works on particle dispersion patterns and their concentration in vortical structures in different indoor environments. Numerical simulations and experiments reveal the formation of the buildings' recirculation zones and vortex flow regions by flow separation, airflow interaction around objects, internal dispersion of airflow, or thermal plume. These vortical structures showed high particle concentration because particles are trapped for long periods. Then a hypothesis is proposed to explain why some medical studies detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and others do not detect the virus. The hypothesis proposes that airborne transmission is possible if virus-laden droplet nuclei are trapped in vortical structures associated with recirculation zones. This hypothesis is reinforced by a numerical study in a restaurant that presented possible evidence of airborne transmission by a large recirculating air zone. Furthermore, a medical study in a hospital is discussed from a physical view for identifying the formation of recirculation zones and their relation with positive tests for viruses. The observations show air sampling site located in this vortical structure is positive for the SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Therefore, the formation of vortical structures associated with recirculation zones should be avoided to minimize the possibility of airborne transmission. This work tries to understand the complex phenomenon of airborne transmission as a way in the prevention of transmission of infectious diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Martínez-Espinosa
- Industrial and Environmental Processes Department, Instituto de Ingeniería, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City 04510, México
| | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Scungio M, Parlani G. Determining the filtration effectiveness of non-standard respiratory protective devices by an ad-hoc laboratory methodology. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2023; 302:119731. [PMID: 36968626 PMCID: PMC10027294 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2023.119731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The recent pandemic caused by COVID-19 profoundly changed people's habits. Wearing a face mask has become usual in everyday life to reduce the risk of infection from airborne diseases. At the beginning of the pandemic, the massive request of surgical or filtering face piece (FFP) masks resulted in a global shortage of these devices for the most exposed people, such as healthcare workers. Due to this high demand for respiratory protective devices, many industrial plants have partly converted to the production of face masks using adapted materials and not complying with any specific regulation (non-standard respiratory protective devices or community masks). In this work, an ad-hoc laboratory methodology has been developed to evaluate the filtration efficiency of the materials that compose the community masks using specific instrumentation. The instrumentation consists of three main tools: an aerosol generator, a specifically designed measuring chamber, and an optical particle sizer (OPS) for the measurement of aerosol concentration. The generated aerosol was sent into the measuring chamber, divided into two separate sections by the respiratory mask. The OPS measured the aerosol mass concentration upstream and downstream of the respiratory mask, and from the concentration difference the filtration efficiency was evaluated. The proposed methodology has been validated by evaluating the particle filtration efficiency (PFE) of certified respiratory masks and was then applied for the evaluation of the filtration efficiency of different types of non-standard or community masks to analyze their effectiveness in protecting from the risk of infection of airborne diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Scungio
- Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization (DEIM). University of Tuscia, Via Del Paradiso 47, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Giulia Parlani
- Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization (DEIM). University of Tuscia, Via Del Paradiso 47, Viterbo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Santarpia JL, Klug E, Ravnholdt A, Kinahan SM. Environmental sampling for disease surveillance: Recent advances and recommendations for best practice. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2023; 73:434-461. [PMID: 37224401 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2023.2197825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The study of infectious diseases includes both the progression of the disease in its host and how it transmits between hosts. Understanding disease transmission is important for recommending effective interventions, protecting healthcare workers, and informing an effective public health response. Sampling the environment for infectious diseases is critical to public health since it can provide an understanding of the mechanisms of transmission, characterization of contamination in hospitals and other public areas, and the spread of a disease within a community. Measurements of biological aerosols, particularly those that may cause disease, have been an ongoing topic of research for decades, and so a wide variety of technological solutions exist. This wide field of possibilities can create confusion, particularly when different approaches yield different answers. Therefore, guidelines for best practice in this area are important to allow more effective use of this data in public health decisions. This review examines air, surface and water/wastewater sampling methods, with a focus on aerosol sampling, and a goal of recommending approaches to designing and implementing sampling systems that may incorporate multiple strategies. This is accomplished by developing a framework for designing and evaluating a sampling strategy, reviewing current practices and emerging technologies for sampling and analysis, and recommending guidelines for best practice in the area of aerosol sampling for infectious disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Santarpia
- The Global Center for Health Security, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
- National Strategic Research Institute, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Elizabeth Klug
- The Global Center for Health Security, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ashley Ravnholdt
- The Global Center for Health Security, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Sean M Kinahan
- The Global Center for Health Security, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
- National Strategic Research Institute, Omaha, NE, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Abubakar-Waziri H, Kalaiarasan G, Wawman R, Hobbs F, Adcock I, Dilliway C, Fang F, Pain C, Porter A, Bhavsar PK, Ransome E, Savolainen V, Kumar P, Chung KF. SARS-CoV2 in public spaces in West London, UK during COVID-19 pandemic. BMJ Open Respir Res 2023; 10:10/1/e001574. [PMID: 37202121 DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2022-001574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spread of SARS-CoV2 by aerosol is considered an important mode of transmission over distances >2 m, particularly indoors. OBJECTIVES We determined whether SARS-CoV2 could be detected in the air of enclosed/semi-enclosed public spaces. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Between March 2021 and December 2021 during the easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions after a period of lockdown, we used total suspended and size-segregated particulate matter (PM) samplers for the detection of SARS-CoV2 in hospitals wards and waiting areas, on public transport, in a university campus and in a primary school in West London. RESULTS We collected 207 samples, of which 20 (9.7%) were positive for SARS-CoV2 using quantitative PCR. Positive samples were collected from hospital patient waiting areas, from hospital wards treating patients with COVID-19 using stationary samplers and from train carriages in London underground using personal samplers. Mean virus concentrations varied between 429 500 copies/m3 in the hospital emergency waiting area and the more frequent 164 000 copies/m3 found in other areas. There were more frequent positive samples from PM samplers in the PM2.5 fractions compared with PM10 and PM1. Culture on Vero cells of all collected samples gave negative results. CONCLUSION During a period of partial opening during the COVID-19 pandemic in London, we detected SARS-CoV2 RNA in the air of hospital waiting areas and wards and of London Underground train carriage. More research is needed to determine the transmission potential of SARS-CoV2 detected in the air.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gopinath Kalaiarasan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Global Centre for Clean Air Research, Surrey, UK
| | - Rebecca Wawman
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Faye Hobbs
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ian Adcock
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Claire Dilliway
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Fangxin Fang
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Christopher Pain
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Alexandra Porter
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Pankaj K Bhavsar
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Emma Ransome
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Vincent Savolainen
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Global Centre for Clean Air Research, Surrey, UK
| | - Kian Fan Chung
- Airway Disease, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Butler MJ, Sloof D, Peters C, Conway Morris A, Gouliouris T, Thaxter R, Keevil VL, Beggs CB. Impact of supplementary air filtration on aerosols and particulate matter in a UK hospital ward: a case study. J Hosp Infect 2023; 135:81-89. [PMID: 36842537 PMCID: PMC9957342 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aerosol spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a major problem in hospitals, leading to an increase in supplementary high-efficiency particulate air filtration aimed at reducing nosocomial transmission. This article reports a natural experiment that occurred when an air cleaning unit (ACU) on a medicine for older people ward was switched off accidentally while being commissioned. AIM To assess aerosol transport within the ward and determine whether the ACU reduced airborne particulate matter (PM) levels. METHODS An ACU was placed in a ward comprising two six-bedded bays plus three single-bed isolation rooms which had previously experienced several outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019. During commissioning, real-time measurements of key indoor air quality parameters (PM1-10, CO2, temperature and humidity) were collected from multiple sensors over 2 days. During this period, the ACU was switched off accidentally for approximately 7 h, allowing the impact of the intervention on PM to be assessed. FINDINGS The ACU reduced the PM counts considerably (e.g. PM1 65.5-78.2%) throughout the ward (P<0.001 all sizes), with positive correlation found for all PM fractions and CO2 (r=0.343-0.817; all P<0.001). PM counts rose/fell simultaneously when the ACU was off, with correlation of PM signals from multiple locations (e.g. r=0.343-0.868; all P<0.001) for particulates <1 μm). CONCLUSION Aerosols migrated rapidly between the various ward subcompartments, suggesting that social distancing alone cannot prevent nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 as this fails to mitigate longer-range (>2 m) transmission. The ACU reduced PM levels considerably throughout the ward space, indicating its potential as an effective intervention to reduce the risk posed by infectious airborne particles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M J Butler
- Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK
| | - D Sloof
- AirPurity UK, Ltd, Cambridge, UK
| | - C Peters
- Department of Microbiology, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - A Conway Morris
- John V Farman Intensive Care Unit, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK; Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - T Gouliouris
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - R Thaxter
- Infection Prevention and Control, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK
| | - V L Keevil
- Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK; Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - C B Beggs
- Department of Medicine for the Elderly, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK; Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Tang JW, Marr LC, Tellier R, Dancer SJ. Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2023; 29:191-196. [PMID: 36866737 PMCID: PMC10090298 DOI: 10.1097/mcp.0000000000000947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has had a wide-ranging and profound impact on how we think about the transmission of respiratory viruses This review outlines the basis on which we should consider all respiratory viruses as aerosol-transmissible infections, in order to improve our control of these pathogens in both healthcare and community settings. RECENT FINDINGS We present recent studies to support the aerosol transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and some older studies to demonstrate the aerosol transmissibility of other, more familiar seasonal respiratory viruses. SUMMARY Current knowledge on how these respiratory viruses are transmitted, and the way we control their spread, is changing. We need to embrace these changes to improve the care of patients in hospitals and care homes including others who are vulnerable to severe disease in community settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julian W. Tang
- Clinical Microbiology, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
- Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Parhizkar H, Fretz M, Laguerre A, Stenson J, Corsi RL, Van Den Wymelenberg KG, Gall ET. A novel VOC breath tracer method to evaluate indoor respiratory exposures in the near- and far-fields; implications for the spread of respiratory viruses. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:339-346. [PMID: 36424424 PMCID: PMC9686220 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00499-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several studies suggest that far-field transmission (>6 ft) explains a significant number of COVID-19 superspreading outbreaks. OBJECTIVE Therefore, quantifying the ratio of near- and far-field exposure to emissions from a source is key to better understanding human-to-human airborne infectious disease transmission and associated risks. METHODS In this study, we used an environmentally-controlled chamber to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from a healthy participant who consumed breath mints, which contained unique tracer compounds. Tracer measurements were made at 0.76 m (2.5 ft), 1.52 m (5 ft), 2.28 m (7.5 ft) from the participant, as well as in the exhaust plenum of the chamber. RESULTS We observed that 0.76 m (2.5 ft) trials had ~36-44% higher concentrations than other distances during the first 20 minutes of experiments, highlighting the importance of the near-field exposure relative to the far-field before virus-laden respiratory aerosol plumes are continuously mixed into the far-field. However, for the conditions studied, the concentrations of human-sourced tracers after 20 minutes and approaching the end of the 60-minute trials at 0.76 m, 1.52 m, and 2.28 m were only ~18%, ~11%, and ~7.5% higher than volume-averaged concentrations, respectively. SIGNIFICANCE This study suggests that for rooms with similar airflow parameters disease transmission risk is dominated by near-field exposures for shorter event durations (e.g., initial 20-25-minutes of event) whereas far-field exposures are critical throughout the entire event and are increasingly more important for longer event durations. IMPACT STATEMENT We offer a novel methodology for studying the fate and transport of airborne bioaerosols in indoor spaces using VOCs as unique proxies for bioaerosols. We provide evidence that real-time measurement of VOCs can be applied in settings with human subjects to estimate the concentration of bioaerosol at different distances from the emitter. We also improve upon the conventional assumption that a well-mixed room exhibits instantaneous and perfect mixing by addressing spatial distances and mixing over time. We quantitatively assessed the exposure levels to breath tracers at alternate distances and provided more insights into the changes on "near-field to far-field" ratios over time. This method can be used in future to estimate the benefits of alternate environmental conditions and occupant behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hooman Parhizkar
- Institute for Health and the Built Environment, University of Oregon, Portland, OR, 97209, USA
- Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Mark Fretz
- Institute for Health and the Built Environment, University of Oregon, Portland, OR, 97209, USA
- Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Aurélie Laguerre
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Portland State University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Jason Stenson
- Institute for Health and the Built Environment, University of Oregon, Portland, OR, 97209, USA
- Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Richard L Corsi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Kevin G Van Den Wymelenberg
- Institute for Health and the Built Environment, University of Oregon, Portland, OR, 97209, USA.
- Energy Studies in Buildings Laboratory, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
| | - Elliott T Gall
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Portland State University, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Jeong SB, Shin JH, Kim SW, Seo SC, Jung JH. Performance evaluation of an electrostatic precipitator with a copper plate using an aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 surrogate (bacteriophage phi 6). ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION 2023; 30:103124. [PMID: 36987524 PMCID: PMC10035800 DOI: 10.1016/j.eti.2023.103124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has reminded us of the importance of developing technologies to reduce and control bioaerosols in built environments. For bioaerosol control, the interaction between researchers and biomaterials is essential, and considering the characteristics of target pathogens is strongly required. Herein, we used enveloped viral aerosols, bacteriophage phi 6, for evaluating the performance of an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) with a copper-collecting plate (Cu-plate). In particular, bacteriophage phi 6 is an accessible enveloped virus that can be operated in biosafety level (BSL)-1 as a promising surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 with structural and morphological similarities. ESP with Cu-plate showed >91% of particle removal efficiency for viral aerosols at 77 cm/s of airflow face velocity. Moreover, the Cu-plate presented a potent antiviral performance of 5.4-relative log reduction within <15 min of contact. We believe that the evaluation of ESP performance using an aerosolized enveloped virus and plaque assay is invaluable. Our results provide essential information for the development of bioaerosol control technologies that will lead the post-corona era.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sang Bin Jeong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hak Shin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Sam Woong Kim
- Agri-Food Bio Convergence Institute, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Chul Seo
- Department of Nano, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seokyeong University, Seoul 02713, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Hee Jung
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Clements N, Arvelo I, Arnold P, Heredia NJ, Hodges UW, Deresinski S, Cook PW, Hamilton KA. Informing Building Strategies to Reduce Infectious Aerosol Transmission Risk by Integrating DNA Aerosol Tracers with Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:5771-5781. [PMID: 37000413 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Using aerosol-based tracers to estimate risk of infectious aerosol transmission aids in the design of buildings with adequate protection against aerosol transmissible pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza. We propose a method for scaling a SARS-CoV-2 bulk aerosol quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model for impulse emissions, coughing or sneezing, with aerosolized synthetic DNA tracer concentration measurements. With point-of-emission ratios describing relationships between tracer and respiratory aerosol emission characteristics (i.e., volume and RNA or DNA concentrations) and accounting for aerosolized pathogen loss of infectivity over time, we scale the inhaled pathogen dose and risk of infection with time-integrated tracer concentrations measured with a filter sampler. This tracer-scaled QMRA model is evaluated through scenario testing, comparing the impact of ventilation, occupancy, masking, and layering interventions on infection risk. We apply the tracer-scaled QMRA model to measurement data from an ambulatory care room to estimate the risk reduction resulting from HEPA air cleaner operation. Using DNA tracer measurements to scale a bulk aerosol QMRA model is a relatively simple method of estimating risk in buildings and can be applied to understand the impact of risk mitigation efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Clements
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Ilan Arvelo
- SafeTraces, Inc., Pleasanton, California 94588, United States
| | - Phil Arnold
- SafeTraces, Inc., Pleasanton, California 94588, United States
| | | | - Ulrike W Hodges
- SafeTraces, Inc., Pleasanton, California 94588, United States
| | - Stan Deresinski
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Peter W Cook
- Independent researcher, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, United States
| | - Kerry A Hamilton
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
- The Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
| |
Collapse
|