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Pearson NM, Novembre J. No evidence that ACE2 or TMPRSS2 drive population disparity in COVID risks. BMC Med 2024; 22:337. [PMID: 39183295 PMCID: PMC11346279 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03539-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Early in the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, in this journal, Hou et al. (BMC Med 18:216, 2020) interpreted public genotype data, run through functional prediction tools, as suggesting that members of particular human populations carry potentially COVID-risk-increasing variants in genes ACE2 and TMPRSS2 far more often than do members of other populations. Beyond resting on predictions rather than clinical outcomes, and focusing on variants too rare to typify population members even jointly, their claim mistook a well known artifact (that large samples reveal more of a population's variants than do small samples) as if showing real and congruent population differences for the two genes, rather than lopsided population sampling in their shared source data. We explain that artifact, and contrast it with empirical findings, now ample, that other loci shape personal COVID risks far more significantly than do ACE2 and TMPRSS2-and that variation in ACE2 and TMPRSS2 per se unlikely exacerbates any net population disparity in the effects of such more risk-informative loci.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John Novembre
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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McClenaghan E, Nguipdop-Djomo P, Lewin A, Warren-Gash C, Cook S, Mangtani P. COVID-19 infections in English schools and the households of students and staff 2020-21: a self-controlled case-series analysis. Int J Epidemiol 2024; 53:dyae105. [PMID: 39096097 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyae105] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of children and staff in SARS-CoV-2 transmission outside and within households is still not fully understood when large numbers are in regular, frequent contact in schools. METHODS We used the self-controlled case-series method during the alpha- and delta-dominant periods to explore the incidence of infection in periods around a household member infection, relative to periods without household infection, in a cohort of primary and secondary English schoolchildren and staff from November 2020 to July 2021. RESULTS We found the relative incidence of infection in students and staff was highest in the 1-7 days following household infection, remaining high up to 14 days after, with risk also elevated in the 6--12 days before household infection. Younger students had a higher relative incidence following household infection, suggesting household transmission may play a more prominent role compared with older students. The relative incidence was also higher among students in the alpha variant dominant period. CONCLUSIONS This analysis suggests SARS-CoV2 infection in children, young people and staff at English schools were more likely to be associated with within-household transmission than from outside the household, but that a small increased risk of seeding from outside is observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot McClenaghan
- Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Patrick Nguipdop-Djomo
- Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Alexandra Lewin
- Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Charlotte Warren-Gash
- Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sarah Cook
- School of PublicHealth, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Punam Mangtani
- Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Althaus T, Overton CE, Devaux I, House T, Lapouze A, Troel A, Vanzo B, Laroche M, Bordero A, Jorgensen P, Pebody R, Voiglio EJ. How effective is the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 transmission and infection? A national programme analysis in Monaco, July 2021 to September 2022. BMC Med 2024; 22:227. [PMID: 38840159 PMCID: PMC11155114 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03444-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We quantified SARS-CoV-2 dynamics in different community settings and the direct and indirect effect of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in Monaco for different variants of concern (VOC). METHODS Between July 2021 and September 2022, we prospectively investigated 20,443 contacts from 6320 index cases using data from the Monaco COVID-19 Public Health Programme. We calculated secondary attack rates (SARs) in households (n = 13,877), schools (n = 2508) and occupational (n = 6499) settings. We used binomial regression with a complementary log-log link function to measure adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and vaccine effectiveness (aVE) for index cases to infect contacts and contacts to be infected in households. RESULTS In households, the SAR was 55% (95% CI 54-57) and 50% (48-51) among unvaccinated and vaccinated contacts, respectively. The SAR was 32% (28-36) and 12% (10-13) in workplaces, and 7% (6-9) and 6% (3-10) in schools, among unvaccinated and vaccinated contacts respectively. In household, the aHR was lower in contacts than in index cases (aHR 0.68 [0.55-0.83] and 0.93 [0.74-1.1] for delta; aHR 0.73 [0.66-0.81] and 0.89 [0.80-0.99] for omicron BA.1&2, respectively). Vaccination had no significant effect on either direct or indirect aVE for omicron BA.4&5. The direct aVE in contacts was 32% (17, 45) and 27% (19, 34), and for index cases the indirect aVE was 7% (- 17, 26) and 11% (1, 20) for delta and omicron BA.1&2, respectively. The greatest aVE was in contacts with a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and a single vaccine dose during the omicron BA.1&2 period (45% [27, 59]), while the lowest were found in contacts with either three vaccine doses (aVE - 24% [- 63, 6]) or one single dose and a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection (aVE - 36% [- 198, 38]) during the omicron BA.4&5 period. CONCLUSIONS Protection conferred by the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine against transmission and infection was low for delta and omicron BA.1&2, regardless of the number of vaccine doses and previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. There was no significant vaccine effect for omicron BA.4&5. Health authorities carrying out vaccination campaigns should bear in mind that the current generation of COVID-19 vaccines may not represent an effective tool in protecting individuals from either transmitting or acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher E Overton
- Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- United Kingdom Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Isabelle Devaux
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas House
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Pernille Jorgensen
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Richard Pebody
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
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4
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Simanavičius M, Kučinskaitė-Kodzė I, Kaselienė S, Sauliūnė S, Gudas D, Jančorienė L, Jasinskienė R, Vitkauskienė A, Žūtautienė R, Žvirblienė A, Stankūnas M. Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in a sample of the Lithuanian population-based study in Spring 2023. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29343. [PMID: 38681561 PMCID: PMC11053182 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29343] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives Despite positive trends in SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology, seroprevalence surveys remain an important tool for estimating the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) proteins in a sample of the Lithuanian population (N = 517) and evaluate how the pattern of seropositivity correlates with the levels of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. Methods Study participants (aged 18-88 years) filled in the questionnaire self-reporting their demographic-social variables, health status, and SARS-CoV-2-related status. The anti-S and anti-N IgG levels were estimated using a microarray ELISA test. Results After several pandemic waves and vaccination campaign, the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG in the analyzed sample was 97.87 % by March-May 2023. We determined the 96.91 % prevalence of anti-S and 58.03 % prevalence of anti-N IgG. The majority of study participants (71.18 %) had hybrid immunity induced by vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection. 20.3 % of study participants were anti-N IgG positive without reporting any previous symptoms or a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. A decline of anti-N IgG positivity within 9 months after infection was observed. Conclusions This study demonstrates high total seroprevalence in March-May 2023 in all age groups indicating a widely established humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in Lithuania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martynas Simanavičius
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio al. 7, LT-10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Indrė Kučinskaitė-Kodzė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio al. 7, LT-10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Snieguolė Kaselienė
- Department of Health Management, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės g. 18, LT-47181, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Skirmantė Sauliūnė
- Department of Health Management, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės g. 18, LT-47181, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Dainius Gudas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio al. 7, LT-10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Ligita Jančorienė
- Clinic of Infectious Diseases and Dermatovenerology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio g. 21, LT-03101, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Rūta Jasinskienė
- Faculty of Public Health, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės g. 18, LT-47181, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Astra Vitkauskienė
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eivenių g. 2, LT-50161, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Rasa Žūtautienė
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės g. 18, LT-47181, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Aurelija Žvirblienė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekio al. 7, LT-10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Mindaugas Stankūnas
- Department of Health Management, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės g. 18, LT-47181, Kaunas, Lithuania
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Dahl AM, Brown CE, Brown ER, O'Brien MP, Barnabas RV. Concordance between SARS-CoV-2 index individuals and their household contacts on index individual COVID-19 transmission cofactors: a comparison of self-reported and contact-reported information. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:950. [PMID: 38566051 PMCID: PMC10986086 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18371-7] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, several clinical trials have evaluated postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) among close contacts of an index individual with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Because index individuals do not directly inform the efficacy of prevention interventions, they are seldom enrolled in COVID-19 PEP studies. However, adjusting for prognostic covariates such as an index individual's COVID-19 illness and risk behaviors can increase precision in PEP efficacy estimates, so approaches to accurately collecting this information about the index individual are needed. This analysis aimed to assess whether surveying household contacts captures the same information as surveying the index individual directly. METHODS REGN 2069/CoVPN 3502, a randomized controlled trial of COVID-19 PEP, enrolled household contacts of SARS-CoV-2 index individuals. CoVPN 3502-01 retrospectively enrolled and surveyed the index individuals. We compared responses to seven similar questions about the index individuals' transmission cofactors that were asked in both studies. We estimated the percent concordance between index individuals and their household contacts on each question, with 50% concordance considered equivalent to random chance. RESULTS Concordance between index individuals and contacts was high on the most objective questions, approximately 97% (95% CI: 90-99%) for index individual age group and 96% (88-98%) for hospitalization. Concordance was moderate for symptoms, approximately 85% (75-91%). Concordance on questions related to the index individual's behavior was only slightly better or no better than random: approximately 62% (51-72%) for whether they received COVID-19 treatment, 68% (57-77%) for sharing a bedroom, 70% (59-79%) for sharing a common room, and 49% (39-60%) for mask wearing at home. However, while contacts were surveyed within 96 h of the index individual testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, the median time to enrollment in CoVPN 3502-01 was 240 days, which may have caused recall bias in our results. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest a need to survey index individuals directly in order to accurately capture their transmission cofactors, rather than relying on their household contacts to report on their behavior. The lag in enrolling participants into CoVPN 3502-01 also highlights the importance of timely enrollment to minimize recall bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Dahl
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, US.
| | - Clare E Brown
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, US
| | - Elizabeth R Brown
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, US
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division and Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, US
| | | | - Ruanne V Barnabas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, US
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Aranega-Bou P, Pottage T, Fenwick A, D'Costa W, Brown NF, Yaxley N, King MF, Parker ST, Miller D, López-García M, Noakes CJ, Moore G, Bennett A. A 17-month longitudinal surface sampling study carried out on public transport vehicles operating in England during the COVID-19 pandemic identified low levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA contamination. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae095. [PMID: 38637309 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae095] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
AIMS To monitor severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA contamination in vehicles operating in England during the pandemic, to better understand transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 on public transport. METHODS AND RESULTS We collected 1314 surface samples between December 2020 and April 2022 on trains and buses managed by five different transport operators. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was investigated through reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found on 197 (15%) of the 1314 surfaces sampled, including seat head rests, handholds, and air extract grilles, but the levels of RNA recovered on those samples (median value of 23.4, interquartile range: 14.3-35.4, N gene copies per extraction) made the presence of infectious virus at the time of sampling extremely unlikely. However, detection rates varied over time with peaks broadly coinciding with times of high community transmission, when it was more likely that people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were travelling on public transport. CONCLUSION During the pandemic, and as in other public spaces, low levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were found on surfaces associated with public transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paz Aranega-Bou
- Biosafety, Air and Water Microbiology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Pottage
- Biosafety, Air and Water Microbiology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Abigail Fenwick
- Biosafety, Air and Water Microbiology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Wilhemina D'Costa
- Biosafety, Air and Water Microbiology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie F Brown
- Biosafety, Air and Water Microbiology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola Yaxley
- Biosafety, Air and Water Microbiology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Marco-Felipe King
- School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, LS29JT Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Simon T Parker
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Miller
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Martín López-García
- School of Mathematics, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, LS2 9JT Leeds , United Kingdom
| | - Catherine J Noakes
- School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, LS29JT Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Ginny Moore
- Biosafety, Air and Water Microbiology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
| | - Allan Bennett
- Biosafety, Air and Water Microbiology Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, SP4 0JG Salisbury, United Kingdom
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Conly JM, Loeb M. SARS-CoV-2 Exposures at a Large Gathering Event and Acquisition of COVID-19 in the Post-Vaccination Era: A Randomized Trial Is Possible During the Pandemic. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:1656-1658. [PMID: 37797309 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- John M Conly
- Departments of Medicine, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, O'Brien Institute for Public Health, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mark Loeb
- Departments of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Johnson B. Five discoveries about COVID-19 made since the public health emergency ended. Nat Med 2023; 29:2974-2976. [PMID: 37749277 DOI: 10.1038/d41591-023-00084-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
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Arienzo A, Gallo V, Tomassetti F, Pitaro N, Pitaro M, Antonini G. A narrative review of alternative transmission routes of COVID 19: what we know so far. Pathog Glob Health 2023; 117:681-695. [PMID: 37350182 PMCID: PMC10614718 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2023.2228048] [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: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemics, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2, represent an unprecedented public health challenge. Beside person-to-person contagion via airborne droplets and aerosol, which is the main SARS-CoV-2's route of transmission, alternative modes, including transmission via fomites, food and food packaging, have been investigated for their potential impact on SARS-CoV-2 diffusion. In this context, several studies have demonstrated the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA and, in some cases, of infectious particles on exposed fomites, food and water samples, confirming their possible role as sources of contamination and transmission. Indeed, fomite-to-human transmission has been demonstrated in a few cases where person-to-person transmission had been excluded. In addition, recent studies supported the possibility of acquiring COVID-19 through the fecal-oro route; the occurrence of COVID-19 gastrointestinal infections, in the absence of respiratory symptoms, also opens the intriguing possibility that these cases could be directly related to the ingestion of contaminated food and water. Overall, most of the studies considered these alternative routes of transmission of low epidemiological relevance; however, it should be considered that they could play an important role, or even be prevalent, in settings characterized by different environmental and socio-economic conditions. In this review, we discuss the most recent findings regarding SARS-CoV-2 alternative transmission routes, with the aim to disclose what is known about their impact on COVID-19 spread and to stimulate research in this field, which could potentially have a great impact, especially in low-resource contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Michele Pitaro
- National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Antonini
- National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems (INBB), Rome, Italy
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
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Oliveira FDS, Guimarães RA, Afonso ET, Costa LDC, Siqueira KM, Marques SM, Rosso CFW, da Costa PSS, Naghettini AV, Barbosa MA, Pagotto V, Aredes NDA. Environmental and behavioral factors associated with household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in children and adolescents. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1239372. [PMID: 37928354 PMCID: PMC10623120 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1239372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To analyze the association between risk behaviors and environmental factors and SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents in the family environment. Methods Cross-sectional study. A total of 267 children and adolescents aged 5-19 years who have contact with COVID-19-positive essential workers were tested between June and October 2020. Behavioral and environmental variables associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were investigated. Association between these variables was performed using Poisson regression. Results SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was 25.1%. Following the confirmation of COVID-19 diagnosis of the index case, 92.1% of adults reported hand hygiene and 83.5% showed habits of respiratory etiquette. However, 12.7% wore masks in common areas of the residence before COVID-19. Sharing common objects was a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection in the sample. Conclusion Sharing objects among family members was identified as a risk factor associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents who lived with infected adults. There was high frequency of hand hygiene and low prevalence of mask use.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafael Alves Guimarães
- Nursing School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
- Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria Alves Barbosa
- Nursing School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
- Medical School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Valéria Pagotto
- Nursing School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
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Madhusudanan A, Iddon C, Cevik M, Naismith JH, Fitzgerald S. Non-pharmaceutical interventions for COVID-19: a systematic review on environmental control measures. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2023; 381:20230130. [PMID: 37611631 PMCID: PMC10446906 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2023.0130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this review was to identify the effectiveness of environmental control (EC) non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through conducting a systematic review. EC NPIs considered in this review are room ventilation, air filtration/cleaning, room occupancy, surface disinfection, barrier devices, [Formula: see text] monitoring and one-way-systems. Systematic searches of databases from Web of Science, Medline, EMBASE, preprint servers MedRxiv and BioRxiv were conducted in order to identify studies reported between 1 January 2020 and 1 December 2022. All articles reporting on the effectiveness of ventilation, air filtration/cleaning, room occupancy, surface disinfection, barrier devices, [Formula: see text] monitoring and one-way systems in reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 were retrieved and screened. In total, 13 971 articles were identified for screening. The initial title and abstract screening identified 1328 articles for full text review. Overall, 19 references provided evidence for the effectiveness of NPIs: 12 reported on ventilation, 4 on air cleaning devices, 5 on surface disinfection, 6 on room occupancy and 1 on screens/barriers. No studies were found that considered the effectiveness of [Formula: see text] monitoring or the implementation of one-way systems. Many of these studies were assessed to have critical risk of bias in at least one domain, largely due to confounding factors that could have affected the measured outcomes. As a result, there is low confidence in the findings. Evidence suggests that EC NPIs of ventilation, air cleaning devices and reduction in room-occupancy may have a role in reducing transmission in certain settings. However, the evidence was usually of low or very low quality and certainty, and hence the level of confidence ascribed to this conclusion is low. Based on the evidence found, it was not possible to draw any specific conclusions regarding the effectiveness of surface disinfection and the use of barrier devices. From these results, we further conclude that community agreed standards for well-designed epidemiological studies with low risk of bias are needed. Implementation of such standards would enable more confident assessment in the future of the effectiveness of EC NPIs in reducing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens in real-world settings. This article is part of the theme issue 'The effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions on the COVID-19 pandemic: the evidence'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher Iddon
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, University College London, WC1E 6BT, London, UK
| | - Muge Cevik
- Department of Infection and Global Health, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, KY16 9TF, St Andrews, UK
| | | | - Shaun Fitzgerald
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, Cambridge, UK
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12
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Kagami K, Oyamada R, Watanabe T, Nakakubo S, Hayashi T, Iwasaki S, Fukumoto T, Usami T, Hayasaka K, Fujisawa S, Watanabe C, Nishida M, Teshima T, Niinuma Y, Yokota I, Takekuma Y, Sugawara M, Ishiguro N. Factors associated with household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant to health care workers: A retrospective cohort study. Int J Nurs Pract 2023; 29:e13195. [PMID: 37621085 DOI: 10.1111/ijn.13195] [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: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
AIM The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for household transmission of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. BACKGROUND The household infection rate has been reported to be higher for the omicron variant than for non-omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2. Determination of the risk factors for household transmission of the omicron variant is therefore important. DESIGN A Retrospective Cohort Study was conducted. METHODS When family members of health care workers (HCWs) were found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, the HCWs had to receive two nucleic acid amplification tests for SARS-CoV-2: immediately after and 5 to 10 days after the onset of COVID-19 in the family members. Risk factors of household transmission were analysed by comparing cases (HCWs infected with SARS-CoV-2) and controls (HCWs not infected with SARS-CoV-2) using multivariable analysis. RESULTS Unvaccinated status (OR: 3.97), age of index cases (≤6 years) (OR: 1.94) and staying at home with index cases (OR: 10.18) were risk factors for household transmission. CONCLUSION If there is a strong desire to avoid household infection, family members infected with SARS-CoV-2 should live separately during the period of viral shedding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Kagami
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Pharmacy, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Reiko Oyamada
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Tsubasa Watanabe
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Sho Nakakubo
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Takahiro Hayashi
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Sumio Iwasaki
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Fukumoto
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Takayuki Usami
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Kasumi Hayasaka
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Shinichi Fujisawa
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Chiaki Watanabe
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Mutsumi Nishida
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Takanori Teshima
- Division of Laboratory and Transfusion Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Hematology, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yusuke Niinuma
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Department of Pharmacy, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Isao Yokota
- Department of Biostatistics, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Yoh Takekuma
- Department of Pharmacy, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Sugawara
- Department of Pharmacy, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Laboratory of Pharmacokinetics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Nobuhisa Ishiguro
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
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Hui KPY, Chin AWH, Ehret J, Ng KC, Peiris M, Poon LLM, Wong KHM, Chan MCW, Hosegood I, Nicholls JM. Stability of SARS-CoV-2 on Commercial Aircraft Interior Surfaces with Implications for Effective Control Measures. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6598. [PMID: 37623181 PMCID: PMC10454724 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20166598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2022 devastated many aspects of life and the economy, with the commercial aviation industry being no exception. One of the major concerns during the pandemic was the degree to which the internal aircraft environment contributed to virus transmission between humans and, in particular, the stability of SARS-CoV-2 on contact surfaces in the aircraft cabin interior. METHOD In this study, the stability of various major strains of SARS-CoV-2 on interior aircraft surfaces was evaluated using the TCID50 assessment. RESULTS In contrast to terrestrial materials, SARS-CoV-2 was naturally less stable on common contact points in the aircraft interior, and, over a 4 h time period, there was a 90% reduction in culturable virus. Antiviral and surface coatings were extremely effective at mitigating the persistence of the virus on surfaces; however, their benefit was diminished by regular cleaning and were ineffective after 56 days of regular use and cleaning. Finally, successive strains of SARS-CoV-2 have not evolved to be more resilient to survival on aircraft surfaces. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the mitigation strategies for SARS-CoV-2 on interior aircraft surfaces are more than sufficient, and epidemiological evidence over the past three years has not found that surface spread is a major route of transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenrie P. Y. Hui
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.P.Y.H.)
- Centre for Immunology & Infection, Hong Kong Science Park HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alex W. H. Chin
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.P.Y.H.)
- Centre for Immunology & Infection, Hong Kong Science Park HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - John Ehret
- Qantas Airways Ltd., Qantas 10 Bourke Rd Mascot, Sydney, NSW 2020, Australia
| | - Ka-Chun Ng
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.P.Y.H.)
| | - Malik Peiris
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.P.Y.H.)
- Centre for Immunology & Infection, Hong Kong Science Park HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Leo L. M. Poon
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.P.Y.H.)
- Centre for Immunology & Infection, Hong Kong Science Park HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Karen H. M. Wong
- Electron Microscopy Unit, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michael C. W. Chan
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.P.Y.H.)
- Centre for Immunology & Infection, Hong Kong Science Park HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ian Hosegood
- Qantas Airways Ltd., Qantas 10 Bourke Rd Mascot, Sydney, NSW 2020, Australia
| | - John M. Nicholls
- Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pok Fu Lam HKG, Hong Kong SAR, China
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