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Rosenblatt E, Cook JD, DiRenzo GV, Grant EHC, Arce F, Pepin KM, Rudolph FJ, Runge MC, Shriner S, Walsh DP, Mosher BA. Epidemiological modeling of SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) reveals conditions for introduction and widespread transmission. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012263. [PMID: 38995977 PMCID: PMC11268674 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012263] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases with zoonotic potential often have complex socioecological dynamics and limited ecological data, requiring integration of epidemiological modeling with surveillance. Although our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 has advanced considerably since its detection in late 2019, the factors influencing its introduction and transmission in wildlife hosts, particularly white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), remain poorly understood. We use a Susceptible-Infected-Recovered-Susceptible epidemiological model to investigate the spillover risk and transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in wild and captive white-tailed deer populations across various simulated scenarios. We found that captive scenarios pose a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 introduction from humans into deer herds and subsequent transmission among deer, compared to wild herds. However, even in wild herds, the transmission risk is often substantial enough to sustain infections. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the strength of introduction from humans influences outbreak characteristics only to a certain extent. Transmission among deer was frequently sufficient for widespread outbreaks in deer populations, regardless of the initial level of introduction. We also explore the potential for fence line interactions between captive and wild deer to elevate outbreak metrics in wild herds that have the lowest risk of introduction and sustained transmission. Our results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 could be introduced and maintained in deer herds across a range of circumstances based on testing a range of introduction and transmission risks in various captive and wild scenarios. Our approach and findings will aid One Health strategies that mitigate persistent SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks in white-tailed deer populations and potential spillback to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias Rosenblatt
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Jonathan D. Cook
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Graziella V. DiRenzo
- U. S. Geological Survey, Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Evan H. Campbell Grant
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Turner’s Falls, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Fernando Arce
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kim M. Pepin
- National Wildlife Research Center, USDA, APHIS, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - F. Javiera Rudolph
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Ecosystem Sciences and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Michael C. Runge
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Susan Shriner
- National Wildlife Research Center, USDA, APHIS, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Daniel P. Walsh
- U. S. Geological Survey, Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
| | - Brittany A. Mosher
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
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Zhou S, Du M, Liu X, Shen H. Algorithm for community security risk assessment and influencing factors analysis by back propagation neural network. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30185. [PMID: 38720748 PMCID: PMC11076903 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper aims to accurately assess and effectively manage various security risks in the community and overcome the challenges faced by traditional models in handling large amounts of features and high-dimensional data. Hence, this paper utilizes the back propagation neural network (BPNN) to optimize the security risk assessment model. A key challenge of researching community security risk assessment lies in accurately identifying and predicting a range of potential security threats. These threats may encompass natural disasters, public health crises, accidents, and social security issues. The intricate interplay of these risk factors, combined with the dynamic nature of community environments, presents difficulties for traditional risk assessment methodologies to address effectively. Initially, this paper delves into the factors influencing safety incidents within communities and establishes a comprehensive system of safety risk assessment indicators. Leveraging the adaptable and generalizable nature of the BPNN model, the paper proceeds to optimize the BPNN model, enhancing the security risk assessment model through this optimization. Subsequent comparison experiments with traditional models validate the rationality and effectiveness of the proposed model, with hidden layer nodes set at various levels like 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35. These traditional models include Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory Network (LSTM), Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBOOST). Experimental findings demonstrate that with 20 hidden layer nodes, the optimized model achieves a remarkable final recognition accuracy of 99.1 %. Moreover, the optimized model exhibits significantly lower final function loss compared to models with different node numbers. Increasing the number of hidden layer nodes may diminish the optimized model's fit and accuracy. Comparison with traditional models reveals that the average accuracy of the optimized model in community risk identification reaches 98.5 %, with a maximum accuracy of 99.6 %. This marks an improvement of 9%-11 % in recognition accuracy across various risk factors compared to traditional models. Regarding system response time and resource utilization, the optimized model exhibits a response time ranging from 100 ms to 120 ms and consistently lower resource utilization rates across all scenarios, underscoring its efficiency in community security risk assessment. In conclusion, this experiment sheds light on the underlying mechanisms and patterns of community safety risk formation, offering novel perspectives and methodologies for researching community safety risk assessment. The paper concludes by presenting recommendations and strategies for addressing community safety risks based on experimental analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Zhou
- School of Public Administration, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134, China
| | - Meiling Du
- School of Public Administration, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134, China
| | - XiaoYu Liu
- School of International Business, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Hongyan Shen
- School of Public Administration, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134, China
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Monika, Madugula SK, Kondabagil K, Kunwar A. Far-UVC (222 nm) irradiation effectively inactivates ssRNA, dsRNA, ssDNA, and dsDNA viruses as compared to germicidal UVC (254 nm). Photochem Photobiol 2024. [PMID: 38736273 DOI: 10.1111/php.13961] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Ultraviolet-C (UVC) irradiation is being used as an effective approach for the disinfection of pathogenic viruses present in air, surfaces, and water. Recently, far-UVC radiation (222 nm) emitted by KrCl* (krypton-chloride) excimer lamps have been recommended for disinfecting high-risk public spaces to reduce the presence and transmission of infectious viruses owing to limited human health exposure risks as compared to germicidal UVC (254 nm). In this study, the UVC inactivation performances of individual filtered KrCl* excimer lamp (222 nm) and germicidal UVC lamp (254 nm) were determined against four viruses, bacteriophages MS2, Phi6, M13, and T4, having different genome compositions (ssRNA, dsRNA, ssDNA and dsDNA, respectively) and shapes (i.e., spherical (Phi6), linear (M13), and icosahedral (MS2 and T4)). Here, the disinfection efficacies of filtered KrCl* excimer lamp (222 nm) and germicidal UVC lamp (254 nm) were evaluated for highly concentrated virus droplets that mimic the virus-laden droplets released from the infected person and deposited on surfaces as fomites. Filtered KrCl* excimer (222 nm) showed significantly better inactivation against all viruses having different genome compositions and structures compared to germicidal UVC (254 nm). The obtained sensitivity against the filtered KrCl* excimer (222 nm) was found to be in the order, T4 > M13 > Phi6 > MS2 whereas for the germicidal UVC (254 nm) it was T4 > M13 > MS2 > Phi6. These results provide a strong basis to promote the use of filtered KrCl* excimer lamps (222 nm) in disinfecting contagious viruses and to limit the associated disease spread in public places and other high-risk areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Santhosh Kumar Madugula
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Kiran Kondabagil
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Ambarish Kunwar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Koita Centre for Digital Health (KCDH), Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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Luo Q, Liu W, Liao J, Gu Z, Fan X, Luo Z, Zhang X, Hang J, Ou C. COVID-19 transmission and control in land public transport: A literature review. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 4:417-429. [PMID: 38933205 PMCID: PMC11197583 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Land public transport is an important link within and between cities, and how to control the transmission of COVID-19 in land public transport is a critical issue in our daily lives. However, there are still many inconsistent opinions and views about the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in land public transport, which limits our ability to implement effective interventions. The purpose of this review is to overview the literature on transmission characteristics and routes of the epidemic in land public transport, as well as to investigate factors affecting its spread and provide feasible measures to mitigate the infection risk of passengers. We obtained 898 papers by searching the Web of Science, Pubmed, and WHO global COVID database by keywords, and finally selected 45 papers that can address the purpose of this review. Land public transport is a high outbreak area for COVID-19 due to characteristics like crowding, inadequate ventilation, long exposure time, and environmental closure. Different from surface touch transmission and drop spray transmission, aerosol inhalation transmission can occur not only in short distances but also in long distances. Insufficient ventilation is the most important factor influencing long-distance aerosol transmission. Other transmission factors (e.g., interpersonal distance, relative orientation, and ambient conditions) should be noticed as well, which have been summarized in this paper. To address various influencing factors, it is essential to suggest practical and efficient preventive measures. Among these, increased ventilation, particularly the fresh air (i.e., natural ventilation), has proven to effectively reduce indoor infection risk. Many preventive measures are also effective, such as enlarging social distance, avoiding face-to-face orientation, setting up physical partitions, disinfection, avoiding talking, and so on. As research on the epidemic has intensified, people have broken down many perceived barriers, but more comprehensive studies on monitoring systems and prevention measures in land public transport are still needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiqi Luo
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Key Laboratory of Urban Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100089, China
- China Meteorological Administration Xiong'an Atmospheric Boundary Layer Key Laboratory, Xiong'an 070001, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean System (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Wenbing Liu
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Jiayuan Liao
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Zhongli Gu
- Guangdong Fans-tech Agro Co., Ltd, Yunfu 527300, China
| | - Xiaodan Fan
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Zhiwen Luo
- Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3XQ, United Kingdom
| | - Xuelin Zhang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Jian Hang
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
- Key Laboratory of Urban Meteorology, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100089, China
- China Meteorological Administration Xiong'an Atmospheric Boundary Layer Key Laboratory, Xiong'an 070001, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Atmosphere-Ocean System (Sun Yat-sen University), Ministry of Education, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Cuiyun Ou
- School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai 519082, China
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Tang L, Rhoads WJ, Eichelberg A, Hamilton KA, Julian TR. Applications of Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment to Respiratory Pathogens and Implications for Uptake in Policy: A State-of-the-Science Review. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:56001. [PMID: 38728217 PMCID: PMC11086748 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Respiratory tract infections are major contributors to the global disease burden. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) holds potential as a rapidly deployable framework to understand respiratory pathogen transmission and inform policy on infection control. OBJECTIVES The goal of this paper was to evaluate, motivate, and inform further development of the use of QMRA as a rapid tool to understand the transmission of respiratory pathogens and improve the evidence base for infection control policies. METHODS We conducted a literature review to identify peer-reviewed studies of complete QMRA frameworks on aerosol inhalation or contact transmission of respiratory pathogens. From each of the identified studies, we extracted and summarized information on the applied exposure model approaches, dose-response models, and parameter values, including risk characterization. Finally, we reviewed linkages between model outcomes and policy. RESULTS We identified 93 studies conducted in 16 different countries with complete QMRA frameworks for diverse respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, Legionella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, influenza, and Bacillus anthracis. Six distinct exposure models were identified across diverse and complex transmission pathways. In 57 studies, exposure model frameworks were informed by their ability to model the efficacy of potential interventions. Among interventions, masking, ventilation, social distancing, and other environmental source controls were commonly assessed. Pathogen concentration, aerosol concentration, and partitioning coefficient were influential exposure parameters as identified by sensitivity analysis. Most (84%, n = 78 ) studies presented policy-relevant content including a) determining disease burden to call for policy intervention, b) determining risk-based threshold values for regulations, c) informing intervention and control strategies, and d) making recommendations and suggestions for QMRA application in policy. CONCLUSIONS We identified needs to further the development of QMRA frameworks for respiratory pathogens that prioritize appropriate aerosol exposure modeling approaches, consider trade-offs between model validity and complexity, and incorporate research that strengthens confidence in QMRA results. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12695.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhan Tang
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - William J. Rhoads
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Antonia Eichelberg
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Kerry A. Hamilton
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Biodesign Institute Center for Environmental Health Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Timothy R. Julian
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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6
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Sinclair P, Zhao L, Beggs CB, Illingworth CJR. The airborne transmission of viruses causes tight transmission bottlenecks. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3540. [PMID: 38670957 PMCID: PMC11053022 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47923-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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The transmission bottleneck describes the number of viral particles that initiate an infection in a new host. Previous studies have used genome sequence data to suggest that transmission bottlenecks for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 involve few viral particles, but the general principles of virus transmission are not fully understood. Here we show that, across a broad range of circumstances, tight transmission bottlenecks are a simple consequence of the physical process of airborne viral transmission. We use mathematical modelling to describe the physical process of the emission and inhalation of infectious particles, deriving the result that that the great majority of transmission bottlenecks involve few viral particles. While exceptions to this rule exist, the circumstances needed to create these exceptions are likely very rare. We thus provide a physical explanation for previous inferences of bottleneck size, while predicting that tight transmission bottlenecks prevail more generally in respiratory virus transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Sinclair
- MRC University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Lei Zhao
- Section for GeoGenetics, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Clive B Beggs
- Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
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7
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Carvajal M, Saenz C, Fuentes N, Guevara R, Muñoz E, Prado-Vivar B, Diaz E, Alfonso-Cortes F, Coloma J, Grunauer M, Rojas-Silva P, Cardenas PA, Barragan V. SARS-CoV-2 infection in brown-headed spider monkeys ( Ateles fusciceps) at a wildlife rescue center on the coast of Ecuador-South America. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0274123. [PMID: 38364080 PMCID: PMC10986564 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02741-23] [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: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Human populations can be affected in unpredictable ways by the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases. The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease of 2019) pandemic was a reminder of how devastating these events can be if left unchecked. However, once they have spread globally, the impact of these diseases when entering non-exposed wildlife populations is unknown. The current study reports the infection of brown-headed spider monkeys (Ateles fusciceps) at a wildlife rescue center in Ecuador. Four monkeys were hospitalized, and all tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) by RT-qPCR (Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR). Fecal samples (n = 12) from monkeys at the rescue center also tested positive; three zookeepers responsible for feeding and deworming the monkeys also tested positive, suggesting human-animal transmission. Whole genome sequencing identified most samples' omicron clade 22B BA.5 lineage. These findings highlight the threat posed by an emerging zoonotic disease in wildlife species and the importance of preventing spillover and spillback events during epidemic or pandemic events.IMPORTANCEAlthough COVID-19 (coronavirus disease of 2019) has been primarily contained in humans through widespread vaccination, the impact and incidence of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus) and its transmission and epidemiology in wildlife may need to be addressed. In some natural environments, the proximity of animals to humans is difficult to control, creating perfect scenarios where susceptible wildlife can acquire the virus from humans. In these places, it is essential to understand how transmission can occur and to develop protocols to prevent infection. This study reports the infection of brown-headed spider monkeys with SARS-CoV-2, a red-listed monkey species, at a wildlife recovery center in Ecuador. This study reports the infection of brown-headed spider monkeys with SARS-CoV-2, indicating the potential for transmission between humans and wildlife primates and the importance of preventing such events in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateo Carvajal
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Instituto de Microbiología, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Carolina Saenz
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Hospital de Fauna Silvestre TUERI-USFQ, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - Rommel Guevara
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Instituto de Microbiología, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Erika Muñoz
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Instituto de Microbiología, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Belen Prado-Vivar
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Instituto de Microbiología, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Eduardo Diaz
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | | | - Michelle Grunauer
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Escuela de Medicina, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - Paul A. Cardenas
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Instituto de Microbiología, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Veronica Barragan
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Instituto de Microbiología, Quito, Ecuador
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Lin N, Zhang B, Shi R, Gao Y, Wang Z, Ling Z, Tian Y. Decay pattern of SARS-CoV-2 RNA surface contamination in real residences. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6190. [PMID: 38486016 PMCID: PMC10940586 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54445-7] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided valuable lessons that deserve deep thought to prepare for the future. The decay pattern of surface contamination by SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the residences of COVID-19 patients is important but still unknown. We collected 2,233 surface samples from 21 categories of objects in 141 residences of COVID-19 patients in Shanghai when attacked by the omicron variant in spring 2022. Several characteristics of the patients and their residences were investigated to identify relevant associations. The decay of contamination was explored to determine the persistence. Approximately 8.7% of the surface samples were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The basin, water tap, and sewer inlet had the highest positive rates, all exceeding 20%. Only time was significantly associated with the level of surface contamination with SARS-CoV-2, showing a negative association. The decrease fit a first-order decay model with a decay rate of 0.77 ± 0.07 day-1, suggesting a 90% reduction in three days. Positive associations between the cumulative number of newly diagnosed patients in the same building and the positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the public corridor were significant during the three days. Our results, in conjunction with the likely lower infectivity or viability, demonstrate that fomite transmission played a limited role in COVID-19 spread. The time determined SARS-CoV-2 RNA contamination, which was reduced by three days. This study is the first to show the decay patterns of SARS-CoV-2 contamination in real residential environments, providing insight into the patterns of transmission, as well as community-based prevention and control of similar threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Lin
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 280 South Chongqing Rd, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Huangpu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 309 Xietu Rd, Shanghai, 200023, People's Republic of China
| | - Rong Shi
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 280 South Chongqing Rd, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Gao
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 280 South Chongqing Rd, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Zixia Wang
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 280 South Chongqing Rd, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiyi Ling
- Huangpu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 309 Xietu Rd, Shanghai, 200023, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ying Tian
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 280 South Chongqing Rd, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
- MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, People's Republic of China.
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9
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Port JR, Morris DH, Riopelle JC, Yinda CK, Avanzato VA, Holbrook MG, Bushmaker T, Schulz JE, Saturday TA, Barbian K, Russell CA, Perry-Gottschalk R, Shaia C, Martens C, Lloyd-Smith JO, Fischer RJ, Munster VJ. Host and viral determinants of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Syrian hamster. eLife 2024; 12:RP87094. [PMID: 38416804 PMCID: PMC10942639 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87094] [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] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
It remains poorly understood how SARS-CoV-2 infection influences the physiological host factors important for aerosol transmission. We assessed breathing pattern, exhaled droplets, and infectious virus after infection with Alpha and Delta variants of concern (VOC) in the Syrian hamster. Both VOCs displayed a confined window of detectable airborne virus (24-48 hr), shorter than compared to oropharyngeal swabs. The loss of airborne shedding was linked to airway constriction resulting in a decrease of fine aerosols (1-10 µm) produced, which are suspected to be the major driver of airborne transmission. Male sex was associated with increased viral replication and virus shedding in the air. Next, we compared the transmission efficiency of both variants and found no significant differences. Transmission efficiency varied mostly among donors, 0-100% (including a superspreading event), and aerosol transmission over multiple chain links was representative of natural heterogeneity of exposure dose and downstream viral kinetics. Co-infection with VOCs only occurred when both viruses were shed by the same donor during an increased exposure timeframe (24-48 hr). This highlights that assessment of host and virus factors resulting in a differential exhaled particle profile is critical for understanding airborne transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia R Port
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Dylan H Morris
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Jade C Riopelle
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Claude Kwe Yinda
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Victoria A Avanzato
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Myndi G Holbrook
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Trenton Bushmaker
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Jonathan E Schulz
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Taylor A Saturday
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Kent Barbian
- Rocky Mountain Research and Technologies Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Colin A Russell
- Department of Medical Microbiology | Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of AmsterdamAmsterdamNetherlands
| | - Rose Perry-Gottschalk
- Rocky Mountain Visual and Medical Arts Unit, Research Technologies Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Carl Shaia
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Craig Martens
- Rocky Mountain Research and Technologies Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - James O Lloyd-Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Robert J Fischer
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
| | - Vincent J Munster
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthHamiltonUnited States
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Nederlof RA, de la Garza MA, Bakker J. Perspectives on SARS-CoV-2 Cases in Zoological Institutions. Vet Sci 2024; 11:78. [PMID: 38393096 PMCID: PMC10893009 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11020078] [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: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in a zoological institution were initially reported in March 2020. Since then, at least 94 peer-reviewed cases have been reported in zoos worldwide. Among the affected animals, nonhuman primates, carnivores, and artiodactyls appear to be most susceptible to infection, with the Felidae family accounting for the largest number of reported cases. Clinical symptoms tend to be mild across taxa; although, certain species exhibit increased susceptibility to disease. A variety of diagnostic tools are available, allowing for initial diagnostics and for the monitoring of infectious risk. Whilst supportive therapy proves sufficient in most cases, monoclonal antibody therapy has emerged as a promising additional treatment option. Effective transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in some species raises concerns over potential spillover and the formation of reservoirs. The occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in a variety of animal species may contribute to the emergence of variants of concern due to altered viral evolutionary constraints. Consequently, this review emphasizes the need for effective biosecurity measures and surveillance strategies to prevent and control SARS-CoV-2 infections in zoological institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa A. de la Garza
- Michale E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Jaco Bakker
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands
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11
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Jung Y, Abney SE, Reynolds KA, Gerba CP, Wilson AM. Evaluating infection risks and importance of hand hygiene during the household laundry process using a quantitative microbial risk assessment approach. Am J Infect Control 2023; 51:1377-1383. [PMID: 37271422 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2023.05.017] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Contaminated laundry contributes to infectious disease spread in residential and home health care settings. The objectives were to (1) evaluate pathogen transmission risks for individuals doing laundry, and (2) compare hand hygiene timing to reduce risks. METHODS A quantitative microbial risk assessment using experimental data from a laundry washing effectiveness study was applied to estimate infection risks from SARS-CoV-2, rotavirus, norovirus, nontyphoidal Salmonella, and Escherichia coli in 4 laundry scenarios: 1 baseline scenario (no hand hygiene event) and 3 hand hygiene scenarios (scenario 1: after moving dirty clothes to the washing machine, scenario 2: after moving washed clothes to the dryer, and scenario 3: hand hygiene events following scenario 1 and 2). RESULTS The average infection risks for the baseline scenario were all greater than 2 common risk thresholds (1.0×10-6and 1.0×10-4). For all organisms, scenario 1 yielded greater risk reductions (39.95%-99.86%) than scenario 2 (1.35%-55.25%). Scenario 3 further reduced risk, achieving 1.0×10-6(SARS-CoV-2) and 1.0×10-4risk thresholds (norovirus and E. coli). CONCLUSIONS The modeled results suggest individuals should reduce hand-to-facial orifice (eyes, nose, and mouth) contacts and conduct proper hand hygiene when handling contaminated garments. More empirical data are needed to confirm the estimated risks. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT The data and code that support the findings of this study can be retrieved via a Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal license in GitHub at https://github.com/yhjung1231/Laundry-QMRAproject-2022.git DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7122065.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoonhee Jung
- Department of Community, Environment & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, AZ, USA.
| | - Sarah E Abney
- García-Robles Fulbright Program, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Kelly A Reynolds
- Department of Community, Environment & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, AZ, USA
| | - Charles P Gerba
- Department of Environmental Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona, AZ, USA
| | - Amanda M Wilson
- Department of Community, Environment & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, AZ, USA
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12
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Joseph G, Milusheva S, Sturrock H, Mapako T, Ayling S, Hoo YR. Estimating spatially disaggregated probability of severe COVID-19 and the impact of handwashing interventions: The case of Zimbabwe. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292644. [PMID: 38019836 PMCID: PMC10686513 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292644] [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: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The severity of COVID-19 disease varies substantially between individuals, with some infections being asymptomatic while others are fatal. Several risk factors have been identified that affect the progression of SARS-CoV-2 to severe COVID-19. They include age, smoking and presence of underlying comorbidities such as respiratory illness, HIV, anemia and obesity. Given that respiratory illness is one such comorbidity and is affected by hand hygiene, it is plausible that improving access to handwashing could lower the risk of severe COVID-19 among a population. In this paper, we estimate the potential impact of improved access to handwashing on the risk of respiratory illness and its knock-on impact on the risk of developing severe COVID-19 disease across Zimbabwe. METHODS Spatial generalized additive models were applied to cluster level data from the 2015 Demographic and Health Survey. These models were used to generate continuous (1km resolution) estimates of risk factors for severe COVID-19, including prevalence of major comorbidities (respiratory illness, HIV without viral load suppression, anemia and obesity) and prevalence of smoking, which were aggregated to district level alongside estimates of the proportion of the population under 50 from Worldpop data. The risk of severe COVID-19 was then calculated for each district using published estimates of the relationship between comorbidities, smoking and age (under 50) and severe COVID-19. Two scenarios were then simulated to see how changing access to handwashing facilities could have knock on implications for the prevalence of severe COVID-19 in the population. RESULTS This modeling conducted in this study shows that (1) current risk of severe disease is heterogeneous across the country, due to differences in individual characteristics and household conditions and (2) that if the quantifiable estimates on the importance of handwashing for transmission are sound, then improvements in handwashing access could lead to reductions in the risk of severe COVID-19 of up to 16% from the estimated current levels across all districts. CONCLUSIONS Taken alongside the likely impact on transmission of SARS-CoV-2 itself, as well as countless other pathogens, this result adds further support for the expansion of access to handwashing across the country. It also highlights the spatial differences in risk of severe COVID-19, and thus the opportunity for better planning to focus limited resources in high-risk areas in order to potentially reduce the number of severe cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Joseph
- Water Global Practice, World Bank, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Sveta Milusheva
- Development Impact Evaluation Group, World Bank, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Hugh Sturrock
- Spatial Analysis and Modeling, Locational, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tonderai Mapako
- Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Sophie Ayling
- Water Global Practice, World Bank, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Yi Rong Hoo
- Water Global Practice, World Bank, Washington, DC, United States of America
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13
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Luong NDM, Guillier L, Federighi M, Guillois Y, Kooh P, Maillard AL, Pivette M, Boué G, Martin-Latil S, Chaix E, Duret S. An agent-based model to simulate SARS-CoV-2 contamination of surfaces and meat cuts in processing plants. Int J Food Microbiol 2023; 404:110321. [PMID: 37499271 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110321] [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: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, several contamination clusters were reported in food-processing plants in France and several countries worldwide. Therefore, a need arose to better understand viral transmission in such occupational environments from multiple perspectives: the protection of workers in hotspots of viral circulation; the prevention of supply disruption due to the closure of plants; and the prevention of cluster expansion due to exports of food products contaminated by the virus to other locations. This paper outlines a simulation-based approach (using agent-based models) to study the effects of measures taken to prevent the contamination of workers, surfaces, and food products. The model includes user-defined parameters to integrate characteristics relating to SARS-CoV-2 (variant of concern to be considered, symptom onset…), food-processing plants (dimensions, ventilation…), and other sociodemographic transmission factors based on laboratory experiments as well as industrial and epidemiological investigations. Simulations were performed for a typical meat-processing plant in different scenarios for illustration purposes. The results suggested that increasing the mask-wearing ratio led to great reductions in the probability of observing clusters of more than 25 infections. In the case of clusters, masks being worn by all workers limited the presence of contamination (defined as levels of at least 5 log10 viral RNA copies) on meat cuts at less than 0.05 % and maintained the production capacity of the plant at optimal levels. Increasing the average distance between two workers from less than 1 m to more than 2 m decreased the cluster-occurrence probability by up to 15 % as well as contamination of food products during cluster situations. The developed approach can open up several perspectives in terms of potential communication-support tools for the agri-food sector and further reuses or adaptations for other hazards and occupational environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michel Federighi
- UMR INRAE 1014 SECALIM, Oniris, Nantes, Cedex 03, France; ENVA, 94701 Maisons-Alfort, France; Laboratory for Food Safety, ANSES, University of Paris-EST, Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Yvonnick Guillois
- Santé Publique France, Direction des régions, Bretagne, Saint-Maurice, France.
| | - Pauline Kooh
- Risk Assessment Department, ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Anne-Laure Maillard
- Santé Publique France, Direction des régions, Bretagne, Saint-Maurice, France.
| | - Mathilde Pivette
- Santé Publique France, Direction des régions, Bretagne, Saint-Maurice, France.
| | - Géraldine Boué
- UMR INRAE 1014 SECALIM, Oniris, Nantes, Cedex 03, France.
| | - Sandra Martin-Latil
- Laboratory for Food Safety, ANSES, University of Paris-EST, Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Estelle Chaix
- Risk Assessment Department, ANSES, Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Steven Duret
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, FRISE, Antony, France.
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Port JR, Morris DH, Riopelle JC, Yinda CK, Avanzato VA, Holbrook MG, Bushmaker T, Schulz JE, Saturday TA, Barbian K, Russell CA, Perry-Gottschalk R, Shaia CI, Martens C, Lloyd-Smith JO, Fischer RJ, Munster VJ. Host and viral determinants of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Syrian hamster. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2022.08.15.504010. [PMID: 36032963 PMCID: PMC9413705 DOI: 10.1101/2022.08.15.504010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
It remains poorly understood how SARS-CoV-2 infection influences the physiological host factors important for aerosol transmission. We assessed breathing pattern, exhaled droplets, and infectious virus after infection with Alpha and Delta variants of concern (VOC) in the Syrian hamster. Both VOCs displayed a confined window of detectable airborne virus (24-48 h), shorter than compared to oropharyngeal swabs. The loss of airborne shedding was linked to airway constriction resulting in a decrease of fine aerosols (1-10μm) produced, which are suspected to be the major driver of airborne transmission. Male sex was associated with increased viral replication and virus shedding in the air. Next, we compared the transmission efficiency of both variants and found no significant differences. Transmission efficiency varied mostly among donors, 0-100% (including a superspreading event), and aerosol transmission over multiple chain links was representative of natural heterogeneity of exposure dose and downstream viral kinetics. Co-infection with VOCs only occurred when both viruses were shed by the same donor during an increased exposure timeframe (24-48 h). This highlights that assessment of host and virus factors resulting in a differential exhaled particle profile is critical for understanding airborne transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia R. Port
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Dylan H. Morris
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jade C. Riopelle
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Claude Kwe Yinda
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Victoria A. Avanzato
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Myndi G. Holbrook
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Trenton Bushmaker
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Jonathan E. Schulz
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Taylor A. Saturday
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Kent Barbian
- Rocky Mountain Research and Technologies Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Colin A. Russell
- Department of Medical Microbiology | Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam
| | - Rose Perry-Gottschalk
- Rocky Mountain Visual and Medical Arts Unit, Research Technologies Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Carl I. Shaia
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Craig Martens
- Rocky Mountain Research and Technologies Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - James O. Lloyd-Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Robert J. Fischer
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Vincent J. Munster
- Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
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15
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Brown TW, Park GW, Wittry B, Barclay L, Person M, Relja B, Daly S, Chhabra P, Kincaid E, Johnson J, Ahmad A, Herzegh O, Vinjé J, Murphy J. SARS-CoV-2 surface contamination in metro-Atlanta grocery stores. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291747. [PMID: 37725625 PMCID: PMC10508621 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291747] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
While the COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on many businesses worldwide, essential businesses, such as grocery stores, continued to operate despite potential disease transmission. Although the principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is through exposure to respiratory droplets and very small particles carrying infectious virus, contaminated surfaces might play a role in transmission. We collected swab samples from frequently touched surfaces, including grocery carts, touchscreen monitors, credit card keypads, pharmacy counters, self-service food utensils, and refrigerator and freezer handles, in two metro-Atlanta grocery stores over the course of two sampling events in March 2021. Of the 260 swab samples collected, 6 (2.3%) samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Positive samples were collected from pharmacy (12.0% [3/25] samples), refrigerator/freezer aisles (2.5% [1/39] samples), and self-service food court (5.0% [2/40] samples) areas. Table/counter edge and underside surfaces represented 33% (2/6) of positive samples. These data suggest that risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 from frequently touched surfaces in grocery store settings is likely low; however, more frequent cleaning of surfaces in pharmacy and self-service food courts might be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis W. Brown
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Geun W. Park
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunological and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Beth Wittry
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Leslie Barclay
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunological and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Margaret Person
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Boris Relja
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunological and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Scott Daly
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Preeti Chhabra
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunological and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Erin Kincaid
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jona Johnson
- Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ausaf Ahmad
- Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Owen Herzegh
- Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jan Vinjé
- Division of Viral Diseases, National Center for Immunological and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Murphy
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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16
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Wilson AM, Jung Y, Mooneyham SA, Klymko I, Eck J, Romo C, Vaidyula VR, Sneed SJ, Gerald LB, Beamer PI. COVID-19 cleaning protocol changes, experiences, and respiratory symptom prevalence among cleaning services personnel. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1181047. [PMID: 37780432 PMCID: PMC10538963 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1181047] [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: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cleaning protocols were changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with unknown occupational health impacts. There is evidence that COVID-19 transmission risks from contaminated surfaces are low and that exposure to cleaning products can increase risks of work-related asthma. The study objective was to investigate relationships between reported COVID-19-related changes in cleaning protocols and prevalence of asthma-related respiratory symptoms for asthmatic and non-asthmatic janitors and maids. A secondary objective was to characterize experiences of respiratory symptoms associated with cleaning and barriers to personal protective equipment (PPE) use. Methods Employees from two Tucson-based maid service companies (approximately 30 personnel in total) and one Phoenix-based school district (>300 janitors/custodians) were invited to participate in a written survey and/or a one-on-one interview in Spanish or English. Fisher's exact tests (α = 0.05) were used to test for statistically significant associations between reported respiratory symptoms by self-reported physician-diagnosed asthma status and changes in cleaning protocols. Interviews were transcribed and then analyzed by at least two researchers in English or Spanish. Results Eighty-three percent reported that cleaning protocols had changed during COVID-19, with the two most reported changes including increased cleaning frequency (92%) and change of application type (e.g., fog, spray, wipe) (53%). There was a statistically significant association between multiple respiratory symptoms and self-reported physician diagnosed asthma. Reporting a type of application change (e.g., fog, spray, wipe) and being awakened during the night by attack/episode of cough were statistically significantly associated (p = 0.04). Interviews elucidated respiratory issues related to fogging devices. Discussion This study provides preliminary evidence that changes in cleaning and disinfection protocols during COVID-19 (namely, the use of fogging/mechanical spraying devices) may have had negative impacts on the health of workers in the cleaning industry with little benefit to reducing COVID-19 risks. Further research is needed to evaluate the generalizability of our findings across larger geographical areas and to develop guidance for employers and employees on how to protect and promote respiratory health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Wilson
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Yoonhee Jung
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Sydney A. Mooneyham
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Ivana Klymko
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Josie Eck
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Carlos Romo
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Vineeth R. Vaidyula
- Honors College, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Sam J. Sneed
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Lynn B. Gerald
- Population Health Sciences Program, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Breathe Chicago Center, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Paloma I. Beamer
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Southwest Environmental Health Sciences Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
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17
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Pilipenco A, Forinová M, Mašková H, Hönig V, Palus M, Lynn Jr. NS, Víšová I, Vrabcová M, Houska M, Anthi J, Spasovová M, Mustacová J, Štěrba J, Dostálek J, Tung CP, Yang AS, Jack R, Dejneka A, Hajdu J, Vaisocherová-Lísalová H. Negligible risk of surface transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in public transportation. J Travel Med 2023; 30:taad065. [PMID: 37133444 PMCID: PMC10481417 DOI: 10.1093/jtm/taad065] [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: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to pathogens in public transport systems is a common means of spreading infection, mainly by inhaling aerosol or droplets from infected individuals. Such particles also contaminate surfaces, creating a potential surface-transmission pathway. METHODS A fast acoustic biosensor with an antifouling nano-coating was introduced to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on exposed surfaces in the Prague Public Transport System. Samples were measured directly without pre-treatment. Results with the sensor gave excellent agreement with parallel quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) measurements on 482 surface samples taken from actively used trams, buses, metro trains and platforms between 7 and 9 April 2021, in the middle of the lineage Alpha SARS-CoV-2 epidemic wave when 1 in 240 people were COVID-19 positive in Prague. RESULTS Only ten of the 482 surface swabs produced positive results and none of them contained virus particles capable of replication, indicating that positive samples contained inactive virus particles and/or fragments. Measurements of the rate of decay of SARS-CoV-2 on frequently touched surface materials showed that the virus did not remain viable longer than 1-4 h. The rate of inactivation was the fastest on rubber handrails in metro escalators and the slowest on hard-plastic seats, window glasses and stainless-steel grab rails. As a result of this study, Prague Public Transport Systems revised their cleaning protocols and the lengths of parking times during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that surface transmission played no or negligible role in spreading SARS-CoV-2 in Prague. The results also demonstrate the potential of the new biosensor to serve as a complementary screening tool in epidemic monitoring and prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Pilipenco
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michala Forinová
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Mašková
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1645/31a, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Hönig
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Palus
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Nicholas Scott Lynn Jr.
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Víšová
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Vrabcová
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Houska
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Judita Anthi
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Monika Spasovová
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Johana Mustacová
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1645/31a, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ján Štěrba
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1645/31a, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Dostálek
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Chao-Ping Tung
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Rd., Sec.2, Nankang Dist., Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - An-Suei Yang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Rd., Sec.2, Nankang Dist., Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Rachael Jack
- The European Extreme Light Infrastructure, ERIC, Za Radnici 835, 25241 Dolní Břežany, Czech Republic
| | - Alexandr Dejneka
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, 182 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Janos Hajdu
- The European Extreme Light Infrastructure, ERIC, Za Radnici 835, 25241 Dolní Břežany, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Box 596, 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden
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18
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Zhang K, Xia Z, Huang S, Sun GQ, Lv J, Ajelli M, Ejima K, Liu QH. Evaluating the impact of test-trace-isolate for COVID-19 management and alternative strategies. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011423. [PMID: 37656743 PMCID: PMC10501547 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011423] [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: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
There are many contrasting results concerning the effectiveness of Test-Trace-Isolate (TTI) strategies in mitigating SARS-CoV-2 spread. To shed light on this debate, we developed a novel static-temporal multiplex network characterizing both the regular (static) and random (temporal) contact patterns of individuals and a SARS-CoV-2 transmission model calibrated with historical COVID-19 epidemiological data. We estimated that the TTI strategy alone could not control the disease spread: assuming R0 = 2.5, the infection attack rate would be reduced by 24.5%. Increased test capacity and improved contact trace efficiency only slightly improved the effectiveness of the TTI. We thus investigated the effectiveness of the TTI strategy when coupled with reactive social distancing policies. Limiting contacts on the temporal contact layer would be insufficient to control an epidemic and contacts on both layers would need to be limited simultaneously. For example, the infection attack rate would be reduced by 68.1% when the reactive distancing policy disconnects 30% and 50% of contacts on static and temporal layers, respectively. Our findings highlight that, to reduce the overall transmission, it is important to limit contacts regardless of their types in addition to identifying infected individuals through contact tracing, given the substantial proportion of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhang
- College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhichu Xia
- Glasgow College, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shudong Huang
- College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Gui-Quan Sun
- Department of Mathematics, North University of China, Taiyuan, China
- Complex Systems Research Center, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jiancheng Lv
- College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Marco Ajelli
- Laboratory for Computational Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Keisuke Ejima
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Quan-Hui Liu
- College of Computer Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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19
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Goniewicz M, Khorram-Manesh A, Włoszczak-Szubzda A, Lasota D, Al-Wathinani AM, Goniewicz K. Influence of experience, tenure, and organisational preparedness on nurses' readiness in responding to disasters: An exploration during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Glob Health 2023; 13:06034. [PMID: 37572372 PMCID: PMC10423066 DOI: 10.7189/jogh.13.06034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has placed unprecedented challenges on the nursing practice, particularly in Poland. Nurses, as crucial healthcare service providers, have faced organisational disruptions, altered working conditions, and heightened professional anxieties. Methods We undertook a comprehensive survey across all medical centres in Lublin, Poland in 2020 to understand nurses' attitudes towards their roles and working conditions during the pandemic. This involved 470 nurses completing a questionnaire which focused on four pivotal areas: readiness to be on call in a disaster situation (even when not formally asked); willingness to work overtime in a disaster without additional compensation, preparedness to undertake health risks by caring for individuals with infectious diseases or exposure to hazardous substances, and willingness to be transferred to other departments during a disaster. Results We found that excessive workload, fear of infection, and feelings of helplessness significantly influenced nurses' readiness to work overtime, particularly when unpaid. We also presented the ethical dilemmas that nurses encountered during the pandemic and how these dilemmas affected their decision-making processes. We further explored the impact of variables such as nurses' professional experience, tenure, and level of organisational preparedness on their readiness to respond to crisis situations. Conclusions Gaining an understanding of nurses' perspectives is key for formulating strategies to bolster their professional engagements and resilience during crises. Addressing these issues can help build a more robust and well-prepared healthcare system that can effectively navigate future crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariusz Goniewicz
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Amir Khorram-Manesh
- Department of Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Learning and leadership for Healthcare Professional, Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Emergency Medicine Research Group (GEMREG), Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Dorota Lasota
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ahmed M Al-Wathinani
- Department of Emergency Medical Services, Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz College for Emergency Medical Services, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabi
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20
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Cooper DK, Sobolik JS, Kovacevic J, Rock CM, Sajewski ET, Guest JL, Lopman BA, Jaykus LA, Leon JS. Combined Infection Control Interventions Protect Essential Food Workers from Occupational Exposures to SARS-CoV-2 in the Agricultural Environment. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0012823. [PMID: 37310232 PMCID: PMC10370312 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00128-23] [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: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Essential food workers experience elevated risks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection due to prolonged occupational exposures in food production and processing areas, shared transportation (car or bus), and employer-provided shared housing. Our goal was to quantify the daily cumulative risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection for healthy susceptible produce workers and to evaluate the relative reduction in risk attributable to food industry interventions and vaccination. We simulated daily SARS-CoV-2 exposures of indoor and outdoor produce workers through six linked quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) model scenarios. For each scenario, the infectious viral dose emitted by a symptomatic worker was calculated across aerosol, droplet, and fomite-mediated transmission pathways. Standard industry interventions (2-m physical distancing, handwashing, surface disinfection, universal masking, ventilation) were simulated to assess relative risk reductions from baseline risk (no interventions, 1-m distance). Implementation of industry interventions reduced an indoor worker's relative infection risk by 98.0% (0.020; 95% uncertainty interval [UI], 0.005 to 0.104) from baseline risk (1.00; 95% UI, 0.995 to 1.00) and an outdoor worker's relative infection risk by 94.5% (0.027; 95% UI, 0.013 to 0.055) from baseline risk (0.487; 95% UI, 0.257 to 0.825). Integrating these interventions with two-dose mRNA vaccinations (86 to 99% efficacy), representing a worker's protective immunity to infection, reduced the relative infection risk from baseline for indoor workers by 99.9% (0.001; 95% UI, 0.0002 to 0.005) and outdoor workers by 99.6% (0.002; 95% UI, 0.0003 to 0.005). Consistent implementation of combined industry interventions, paired with vaccination, effectively mitigates the elevated risks from occupationally acquired SARS-CoV-2 infection faced by produce workers. IMPORTANCE This is the first study to estimate the daily risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection across a variety of indoor and outdoor environmental settings relevant to food workers (e.g., shared transportation [car or bus], enclosed produce processing facility and accompanying breakroom, outdoor produce harvesting field, shared housing facility) through a linked quantitative microbial risk assessment framework. Our model has demonstrated that the elevated daily SARS-CoV-2 infection risk experienced by indoor and outdoor produce workers can be reduced below 1% when vaccinations (optimal vaccine efficacy, 86 to 99%) are implemented with recommended infection control strategies (e.g., handwashing, surface disinfection, universal masking, physical distancing, and increased ventilation). Our novel findings provide scenario-specific infection risk estimates that can be utilized by food industry managers to target high-risk scenarios with effective infection mitigation strategies, which was informed through more realistic and context-driven modeling estimates of the infection risk faced by essential food workers daily. Bundled interventions, particularly if they include vaccination, yield significant reductions (>99%) in daily SARS-CoV-2 infection risk for essential food workers in enclosed and open-air environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Kane Cooper
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Julia S. Sobolik
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jovana Kovacevic
- Food Innovation Center, Oregon State University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Channah M. Rock
- Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | | | - Jodie L. Guest
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ben A. Lopman
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Lee-Ann Jaykus
- Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Juan S. Leon
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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21
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Whitfield CA, van Tongeren M, Han Y, Wei H, Daniels S, Regan M, Denning DW, Verma A, Pellis L, Hall I. Modelling the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions on workplace transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the home-delivery sector. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0284805. [PMID: 37146037 PMCID: PMC10162531 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284805] [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: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to use mathematical models of SARS-COV-2 to assess the potential efficacy of non-pharmaceutical interventions on transmission in the parcel delivery and logistics sector. METHODS We devloped a network-based model of workplace contacts based on data and consultations from companies in the parcel delivery and logistics sectors. We used these in stochastic simulations of disease transmission to predict the probability of workplace outbreaks in this settings. Individuals in the model have different viral load trajectories based on SARS-CoV-2 in-host dynamics, which couple to their infectiousness and test positive probability over time, in order to determine the impact of testing and isolation measures. RESULTS The baseline model (without any interventions) showed different workplace infection rates for staff in different job roles. Based on our assumptions of contact patterns in the parcel delivery work setting we found that when a delivery driver was the index case, on average they infect only 0.14 other employees, while for warehouse and office workers this went up to 0.65 and 2.24 respectively. In the LIDD setting this was predicted to be 1.40, 0.98, and 1.34 respectively. Nonetheless, the vast majority of simulations resulted in 0 secondary cases among customers (even without contact-free delivery). Our results showed that a combination of social distancing, office staff working from home, and fixed driver pairings (all interventions carried out by the companies we consulted) reduce the risk of workplace outbreaks by 3-4 times. CONCLUSION This work suggests that, without interventions, significant transmission could have occured in these workplaces, but that these posed minimal risk to customers. We found that identifying and isolating regular close-contacts of infectious individuals (i.e. house-share, carpools, or delivery pairs) is an efficient measure for stopping workplace outbreaks. Regular testing can make these isolation measures even more effective but also increases the number of staff isolating at one time. It is therefore more efficient to use these isolation measures in addition to social distancing and contact reduction interventions, rather than instead of, as these reduce both transmission and the number of people needing to isolate at one time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl A. Whitfield
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Division of Infection, Immunity & Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
| | - Martie van Tongeren
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
| | - Yang Han
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
| | - Hua Wei
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
| | - Sarah Daniels
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
| | - Martyn Regan
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- National COVID-19 Response Centre, UK Health Security Agency, London, England
| | - David W. Denning
- Division of Infection, Immunity & Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
| | - Arpana Verma
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Division of Population Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
| | - Lorenzo Pellis
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
| | - Ian Hall
- Department of Mathematics, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, England
- Public Health Advice, Guidance and Expertise, UK Health Security Agency, London, England
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22
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Kang Y, Wang J, Zhang W, Xu Y, Xu B, Qu G, Yu Y, Yan B, Su G. RNA extraction-free workflow integrated with a single-tube CRISPR-Cas-based colorimetric assay for rapid SARS-CoV-2 detection in different environmental matrices. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 454:131487. [PMID: 37148798 PMCID: PMC10125216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
On-site environmental surveillance of viruses is increasingly important for infection prevention and pandemic control. Herein, we report a facile single-tube colorimetric assay for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) from environmental compartments. Using glycerol as the phase separation additive, reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA), CRISPR-Cas system activation, G-quadruplex (G4) cleavage, and G4-based colorimetric reaction were performed in a single tube. To further simplify the test, viral RNA genomes used for the one-tube assay were obtained via acid/base treatment without further purification. The whole assay from sampling to visual readout was completed within 30 min at a constant temperature without the need for sophisticated instruments. Coupling the RT-RPA to CRISPR-Cas improved the reliability by avoiding false positive results. Non-labeled cost-effective G4-based colorimetric systems are highly sensitive to CRISPR-Cas cleavage events, and the proposed assay reached the limit of detection of 0.84 copies/µL. Moreover, environmental samples from contaminated surfaces and wastewater were analyzed using this facile colorimetric assay. Given its simplicity, sensitivity, specificity, and cost-effectiveness, our proposed colorimetric assay is highly promising for applications in on-site environmental surveillance of viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliang Kang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Jiali Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Wensi Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Yuhang Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Bohui Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China
| | - Guangbo Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yanyan Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
| | - Bing Yan
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Gaoxing Su
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
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23
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Hoisington AJ, Stamper CE, Bates KL, Stanislawski MA, Flux MC, Postolache TT, Lowry CA, Brenner LA. Human microbiome transfer in the built environment differs based on occupants, objects, and buildings. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6446. [PMID: 37081054 PMCID: PMC10116103 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33719-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Compared to microbiomes on other skin sites, the bacterial microbiome of the human hand has been found to have greater variability across time. To increase understanding regarding the longitudinal transfer of the hand microbiome to objects in the built environment, and vice versa, 22 participants provided skin microbiome samples from their dominant hands, as well as from frequently and infrequently touched objects in their office environments. Additional longitudinal samples from home environments were obtained from a subset of 11 participants. We observed stability of the microbiomes of both the hand and built environments within the office and home settings; however, differences in the microbial communities were detected across the two built environments. Occupants' frequency of touching an object correlated to that object having a higher relative abundance of human microbes, yet the percent of shared microbes was variable by participants. Finally, objects that were horizontal surfaces in the built environment had higher microbial diversity as compared to objects and the occupants' hands. This study adds to the existing knowledge of microbiomes of the built environment, enables more detailed studies of indoor microbial transfer, and contributes to future models and building interventions to reduce negative outcomes and improve health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Hoisington
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), VISN 19, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Department of Systems Engineering and Management, US Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, 45433, USA.
| | - Christopher E Stamper
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), VISN 19, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Katherine L Bates
- Department of Biology, US Air Force Academy, USAF Academy, CO, 80840, USA
| | - Maggie A Stanislawski
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Veterans Affairs, Denver, CO, 80220, USA
| | - Michael C Flux
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Teodor T Postolache
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), VISN 19, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
- Veterans Health Administration, Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Baltimore VA Annex, VISN 5, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), VISN 19, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
- Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Lisa A Brenner
- Veterans Health Administration, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center (RMRVAMC), VISN 19, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
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24
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Sahun M, Privat-Maldonado A, Lin A, De Roeck N, Van der Heyden L, Hillen M, Michiels J, Steenackers G, Smits E, Ariën KK, Jorens PG, Delputte P, Bogaerts A. Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Enveloped and Non-Enveloped Viruses with Non-Thermal Plasma for Hospital Disinfection. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING 2023; 11:5206-5215. [PMID: 37034498 PMCID: PMC10068876 DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c07622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
As recently highlighted by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, viruses have become an increasing burden for health, global economy, and environment. The control of transmission by contact with contaminated materials represents a major challenge, particularly in hospital environments. However, the current disinfection methods in hospital settings suffer from numerous drawbacks. As a result, several medical supplies that cannot be properly disinfected are not reused, leading to severe shortages and increasing amounts of waste, thus prompting the search for alternative solutions. In this work, we report that non-thermal plasma (NTP) can effectively inactivate SARS-CoV-2 from non-porous and porous materials commonly found in healthcare facilities. We demonstrated that 5 min treatment with a dielectric barrier discharge NTP can inactivate 100% of SARS-CoV-2 (Wuhan and Omicron strains) from plastic material. Using porcine respiratory coronavirus (surrogate for SARS-CoV-2) and coxsackievirus B3 (highly resistant non-enveloped virus), we tested the NTP virucidal activity on hospital materials and obtained complete inactivation after 5 and 10 min, respectively. We hypothesize that the produced reactive species and local acidification contribute to the overall virucidal effect of NTP. Our results demonstrate the potential of dielectric barrier discharge NTPs for the rapid, efficient, and low-cost disinfection of healthcare materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Sahun
- Plasma
Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine—Antwerp
(PLASMANT), Department of Chemistry, University
of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Angela Privat-Maldonado
- Plasma
Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine—Antwerp
(PLASMANT), Department of Chemistry, University
of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Center
for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized & Precision
Oncology Network (IPPON), University of
Antwerp, Universiteitsplein
1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Abraham Lin
- Plasma
Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine—Antwerp
(PLASMANT), Department of Chemistry, University
of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Center
for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized & Precision
Oncology Network (IPPON), University of
Antwerp, Universiteitsplein
1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Naomi De Roeck
- Laboratory
for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Faculty of Pharmaceutical,
Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University
of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein
1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Lisa Van der Heyden
- Plasma
Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine—Antwerp
(PLASMANT), Department of Chemistry, University
of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Center
for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized & Precision
Oncology Network (IPPON), University of
Antwerp, Universiteitsplein
1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Michaël Hillen
- Industrial
Vision Lab (InViLab), Department of Electromechanical Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Johan Michiels
- Virology
Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gunther Steenackers
- Industrial
Vision Lab (InViLab), Department of Electromechanical Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Evelien Smits
- Center
for Oncological Research (CORE), Integrated Personalized & Precision
Oncology Network (IPPON), University of
Antwerp, Universiteitsplein
1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Kevin K. Ariën
- Laboratory
for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Faculty of Pharmaceutical,
Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University
of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein
1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
- Virology
Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Philippe G. Jorens
- Department
of Intensive Care Medicine, Antwerp University
Hospital, Wilrijkstraat
10, 2650 Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratory
of Experimental Medicine and Pediatrics (LEMP), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Peter Delputte
- Laboratory
for Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), Faculty of Pharmaceutical,
Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University
of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein
1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Annemie Bogaerts
- Plasma
Lab for Applications in Sustainability and Medicine—Antwerp
(PLASMANT), Department of Chemistry, University
of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
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25
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Rocha-Melogno L, Crank K, Bergin MH, Gray GC, Bibby K, Deshusses MA. Quantitative risk assessment of COVID-19 aerosol transmission indoors: a mechanistic stochastic web application. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2023; 44:1201-1212. [PMID: 34726128 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2021.1998228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An increasing body of literature suggests that aerosol inhalation plays a primary role in COVID-19 transmission, particularly in indoor settings. Mechanistic stochastic models can help public health professionals, engineers, and space planners understand the risk of aerosol transmission of COVID-19 to mitigate it. We developed such model and a user-friendly web application to meet the need of accessible risk assessment tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. We built our model based on the Wells-Riley model of respiratory disease transmission, using quanta emission rates obtained from COVID-19 outbreak investigations. In this report, three modelled scenarios were evaluated and compared to epidemiological studies looking at similar settings: classrooms, weddings, and heavy exercise sessions. We found that the risk of long-range aerosol transmission increased 309-332% when people were not wearing masks, and 424-488% when the room was poorly ventilated in addition to no masks being worn across the scenarios. Also, the risk of transmission could be reduced by ∼40-60% with ventilation rates of 5 ACH for 1-4 h exposure events, and ∼70% with ventilation rates of 10 ACH for 4 h exposure events. Relative humidity reduced the risk of infection (inducing viral inactivation) by a maximum of ∼40% in a 4 h exposure event at 70% RH compared to a dryer indoor environment with 25% RH. Our web application has been used by more than 1000 people in 52 countries as of September 1st, 2021. Future work is needed to obtain SARS-CoV-2 dose-response functions for more accurate risk estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Rocha-Melogno
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- ICF, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Katherine Crank
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Michael H Bergin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gregory C Gray
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Global Health Research Center, Duke-Kunshan University, Kunshan, People's Republic of China
- Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Kyle Bibby
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Marc A Deshusses
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Schijven JF, Wind M, Todt D, Howes J, Tamele B, Steinmann E. Risk assessment of banknotes as a fomite of SARS-CoV-2 in cash payment transactions. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2023; 43:700-708. [PMID: 35491413 PMCID: PMC9347741 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13935] [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: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The COVID 19 pandemic has triggered concerns and assumptions globally about transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus via cash transactions. This paper assesses the risk of contracting COVID-19 through exposure to SARS-CoV-2 via cash acting as a fomite in payment transactions. A quantitative microbial risk assessment was conducted for a scenario assuming an infectious person at the onset of symptoms, when virion concentrations in coughed droplets are at their highest. This person then contaminates a banknote by coughing on it and immediately hands it over to another person, who might then be infected by transferring the virions with a finger from the contaminated banknote to a facial mucous membrane. The scenario considered transfer efficiency of virions on the banknote to fingertips when droplets were still wet and after having dried up and subsequently being touched by finger printing or rubbing the object. Accounting for the likelihood of the scenario to occur by considering (1) a local prevalence of 100 COVID-19 cases/100,000 persons, (2) a maximum of about one-fifth of infected persons transmit high virus loads, and (3) the numbers of cash transactions/person/day, the risk of contracting COVID-19 via person-to-person cash transactions was estimated to be much lower than once per 39,000 days (107 years) for a single person. In the general populace, there will be a maximum of 2.6 expected cases/100,000 persons/day. The risk for a cashier at an average point of sale was estimated to be much less than once per 430 working days (21 months). The depicted scenario is a rare event, therefore, for a single person, the risk of contracting COVID-19 via person-to-person cash transactions is very low. At a point of sale, the risk to the cashier proportionally increases but it is still low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack F. Schijven
- Centre for Infectious Disease ControlNational Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM)BilthovenThe Netherlands
- Department of Earth SciencesUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Mark Wind
- Cash Policy DepartmentDe Nederlandsche BankAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Daniel Todt
- Department of Molecular & Medical VirologyRuhr University BochumBochumGermany
- European Virus Bioinformatics Centre (EVBC)JenaGermany
| | - John Howes
- European Central Bank (ECB)Frankfurt am MainGermany
| | | | - Eike Steinmann
- Department of Molecular & Medical VirologyRuhr University BochumBochumGermany
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Li Y, Mao N, Guo L, Guo L, Chen L, Zhao L, Wang Q, Long E. Review of animal transmission experiments of respiratory viruses: Implications for transmission risk of SARS-COV-2 in humans via different routes. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2023. [PMID: 36973964 DOI: 10.1111/risa.14129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Exploring transmission risk of different routes has major implications for epidemic control. However, disciplinary boundaries have impeded the dissemination of epidemic information, have caused public panic about "air transmission," "air-conditioning transmission," and "environment-to-human transmission," and have triggered "hygiene theater." Animal experiments provide experimental evidence for virus transmission, but more attention is paid to whether transmission is driven by droplets or aerosols and using the dichotomy to describe most transmission events. Here, according to characteristics of experiment setups, combined with patterns of human social interactions, we reviewed and grouped animal transmission experiments into four categories-close contact, short-range, fomite, and aerosol exposure experiments-and provided enlightenment, with experimental evidence, on the transmission risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) in humans via different routes. When referring to "air transmission," context should be showed in elaboration results, rather than whether close contact, short or long range is uniformly described as "air transmission." Close contact and short range are the major routes. When face-to-face, unprotected, horizontally directional airflow does promote transmission, due to virus decay and dilution in air, the probability of "air conditioning transmission" is low; the risk of "environment-to-human transmission" highly relies on surface contamination and human behavior based on indirect path of "fomite-hand-mucosa or conjunctiva" and virus decay on surfaces. Thus, when discussing the transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2, we should comprehensively consider the biological basis of virus transmission, environmental conditions, and virus decay. Otherwise, risk of certain transmission routes, such as long-range and fomite transmission, will be overrated, causing public excessive panic, triggering ineffective actions, and wasting epidemic prevention resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ning Mao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Luyao Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Linlin Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Li Zhao
- China Academy of Building Research, Beijing, China
| | - Qingqin Wang
- China Academy of Building Research, Beijing, China
| | - Enshen Long
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Richter WR, Sunderman MM, Schaeufele DJ, Willenberg Z, Ratliff K, Calfee MW, Oudejans L. Evaluation of steam heat as a decontamination approach for SARS-CoV-2 when applied to common transit-related materials. J Appl Microbiol 2023; 134:lxad053. [PMID: 36906281 PMCID: PMC10257936 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxad053] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
AIMS The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of steam heat for inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 when applied to materials common in mass transit installations. METHODS AND RESULTS SARS CoV-2 (USA-WA1/2020) was resuspended in either cell culture media or synthetic saliva, inoculated (∼1 × 106 TCID50) onto porous and nonporous materials and subjected to steam inactivation efficacy tests as either wet or dried droplets. The inoculated test materials were exposed to steam heat ranging from 70°C to 90°C. The amount of infectious SARS-CoV-2 remaining after various exposure durations ranging from 1 to 60 s was assessed. Higher steam heat application resulted in higher inactivation rates at short contact times. Steam applied at 1-inch distance (∼90°C at the surface) resulted in complete inactivation for dry inoculum within 2 s of exposure (excluding two outliers of 19 test samples at the 5-s duration) and within 2-30 s of exposure for wet droplets. Increasing the distance to 2 inches (∼70°C) also increased the exposure time required to achieve complete inactivation to 15 or 30 s for materials inoculated with saliva or cell culture media, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Steam heat can provide high levels of decontamination (>3 log reduction) for transit-related materials contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 using a commercially available steam generator with a manageable exposure time of 2-5 s.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Katherine Ratliff
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, United States
| | - M. Worth Calfee
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, United States
| | - Lukas Oudejans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, United States
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Laboratory Evaluation of a Quaternary Ammonium Compound-Based Antimicrobial Coating Used in Public Transport during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Appl Environ Microbiol 2023; 89:e0174422. [PMID: 36856438 PMCID: PMC10057021 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01744-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The virucidal activity of the Zoono Z71 Microbe Shield surface sanitizer and protectant, a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC)-based antimicrobial coating that was used by the United Kingdom rail industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, was evaluated, using the bacteriophage ɸ6 as a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2. Immediately after application and in the absence of interfering substances, the product effectively reduced (>3 log10) the viability of ɸ6 on some materials that are typically used in rail carriages (stainless steel, high-pressure laminate, plastic). If, after the application of the product, these surfaces remained undisturbed, the antimicrobial coating retained its efficacy for at least 28 days. However, efficacy depended on the material being coated. The product provided inconsistent results when applied to glass surfaces and was ineffective (i.e., achieved <3 log10 reduction) when applied to a train arm rest that was made of Terluran 22. Regardless of the material that was coated or the time since application, the presence of organic debris (fetal bovine serum) significantly reduced the viricidal activity of the coating. Wiping the surface with a wetted cloth after the deposition of organic debris was not sufficient to restore efficacy. We conclude that the product is likely to be of limited effectiveness in a busy, multiuser environment, such as public transport. IMPORTANCE This study evaluated the performance of a commercially available antimicrobial coating that was used by the transport industry in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the product was effective against ɸ6, the efficacy of the coating depended upon the material to which it was applied. Similarly, and regardless of the surface material, the presence of organic debris severely impaired viricidal activity, and efficacy could not be recovered through wiping (cleaning) the surface. This highlights the importance of including relevant materials and conditions when evaluating antimicrobial coatings in the laboratory. Further efforts are required to identify suitable infection prevention and control practices for the transport industry.
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Cox J, Christensen B, Burton N, Dunn KH, Finnegan M, Ruess A, Estill C. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the workplace: Key findings from a rapid review of the literature. AEROSOL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR AEROSOL RESEARCH 2023; 57:233-254. [PMID: 37213938 PMCID: PMC10193509 DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2023.2166394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary route of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was not well understood. Research gathered from other respiratory infectious diseases, including other coronaviruses, was the basis for the initial perceptions for transmission of SARS-CoV-2. To better understand transmission of SARS-CoV-2, a rapid literature review was conducted from literature generated March 19, 2020, through September 23, 2021. 18,616 unique results were identified from literature databases and screened. Of these, 279 key articles were reviewed and abstracted covering critical topics such as environmental/workplace monitoring, sampling and analytical method evaluation, and the ability of the virus to remain intact and infectious during sampling. This paper describes the results of the rapid literature review, which evaluated pathways that contribute to transmission as well as the strengths and limitations of current sampling approaches. This review also evaluates how different factors, including environmental conditions and surface characteristics, could impact the transmission potential of SARS-CoV-2. A continual rapid review in the midst of a pandemic proved particularly useful for quickly understanding the transmission parameters of the virus and enabled us to comprehensively assess literature, respond to workplace questions, and evaluate our understanding as the science evolved. Air and surface sampling with the accompanying analytical methods were not generally effective in recovering SARS-CoV-2 viable virus or RNA in many likely contaminated environments. In light of these findings, the development of validated sampling and analysis methods is critical for determining worker exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and to assess the impact of mitigation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennie Cox
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Brian Christensen
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Nancy Burton
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kevin H. Dunn
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | | | - Ana Ruess
- Gryphon Scientific, Takoma Park, MD, USA
| | - Cherie Estill
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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31
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Commercial toilets emit energetic and rapidly spreading aerosol plumes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20493. [PMID: 36481924 PMCID: PMC9732293 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24686-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aerosols can transmit infectious diseases including SARS-CoV-2, influenza and norovirus. Flushed toilets emit aerosols that spread pathogens contained in feces, but little is known about the spatiotemporal evolution of these plumes or the velocity fields that transport them. Using laser light to illuminate ejected aerosols we quantify the kinematics of plumes emanating from a commercial flushometer-type toilet, and use the motion of aerosol particles to compute velocity fields of the associated flow. The toilet flush produces a strong chaotic jet with velocities exceeding 2 m/s; this jet transports aerosols to heights reaching 1.5 m within 8 seconds of initiating a flush. Quantifying toilet plumes and associated flow velocities provides a foundation for future design strategies to mitigate plume formation or to disinfect pathogens within it.
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32
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Wilson AM, Mussio I, Chilton S, Gerald LB, Jones RM, Drews FA, LaKind JS, Beamer PI. A Novel Application of Risk-Risk Tradeoffs in Occupational Health: Nurses' Occupational Asthma and Infection Risk Perceptions Related to Cleaning and Disinfection during COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16092. [PMID: 36498164 PMCID: PMC9736618 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316092] [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: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nurses face the risk of new onset occupational asthma (OA) due to exposures to cleaning and disinfection (C&D) agents used to prevent infections in healthcare facilities. The objective of this study was to measure nurses' preferences when presented with simultaneous OA and respiratory viral infection (e.g., COVID-19) risks related to increased/decreased C&D activities. METHODS Nurses working in healthcare for ≥1 year and without physician-diagnosed asthma were recruited for an online anonymous survey, including four risk-risk tradeoff scenarios between OA and respiratory infection with subsequent recovery (Infect and Recovery) or subsequent death (Infect and Death). Nurses were presented with baseline risks at hypothetical "Hospital 1", and were asked to choose Hospital 2 (increased OA risk to maintain infection risk), Hospital 3 (increased infection risk to maintain OA risk), or indicate that they were equally happy. RESULTS Over 70% of nurses were willing to increase infection risk to maintain baseline OA risk if they were confident they would recover from the infection. However, even when the risk of infection leading to death was much lower than OA, most nurses were not willing to accept a larger (but still small) risk of death to avoid doubling their OA risk. Age, work experience, and ever having contracted or knowing anyone who has contracted a respiratory viral infection at work influenced choices. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate the novel application of a risk-risk tradeoff framework to address an occupational health issue. However, more data are needed to test the generalizability of the risk preferences found in this specific risk-risk tradeoff context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Wilson
- Department of Community, Environment & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave., Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
| | - Irene Mussio
- Business School (Economics), Newcastle University, 5 Barrack Rd., Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4SE, UK
| | - Susan Chilton
- Business School (Economics), Newcastle University, 5 Barrack Rd., Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4SE, UK
| | - Lynn B. Gerald
- Population Health Sciences Program, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Rachael M. Jones
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Frank A. Drews
- Department of Psychology, College of Social & Behavioral Science, University of Utah, 380 1530 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Judy S. LaKind
- LaKind Associates, LLC, 106 Oakdale Ave., Baltimore, MD 21228, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Paloma I. Beamer
- Department of Community, Environment & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave., Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
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O’ Brien N, O’Brien W, Costa J, Adamakis M. Physical education student teachers' wellbeing during Covid-19: Resilience resources and challenges from school placement. EUROPEAN PHYSICAL EDUCATION REVIEW 2022; 28:873-889. [PMID: 38603145 PMCID: PMC8984592 DOI: 10.1177/1356336x221088399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has given rise to significant global challenges across education, and specifically in the physical education teacher education (PETE) community. Students attending teacher education programmes during the Covid-19 pandemic have experienced an abrupt and unprecedented pedagogical transition from a face-to-face capacity to remote teaching, learning, and assessment environments. Crucially, student teachers' school placement experiences faced increased challenges and practical implications from additional environmental and social changes. In the context of continued global and national challenges for initial teacher education (ITE) programmes, the present qualitative study, using a representative sample of 24 student physical education (PE) teachers from a PETE programme, investigates the perceived implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on student teachers' practice and wellbeing during their final 2020/2021 academic year. Results indicate that student teachers maintain that exercise, connections with the university and school placement communities, alongside personal and professional organisation skills serve as resilience resources protecting their wellbeing. Conversely, student teachers express that school placement isolation, restricted PE delivery, increased workload, low teacher efficacy, and the responsibility to implement Covid-19 behaviour regulations presented as challenges that negatively affect their wellbeing. The paper concludes with practices that may further support PETE and ITE programmes and their student teachers to maintain a stable level of wellbeing throughout their careers.
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Genetic Load of SARS-CoV-2 in Aerosols Collected in Operating Theaters. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0129722. [PMID: 36102660 PMCID: PMC9552596 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01297-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
After the outbreak of COVID-19, additional protocols have been established to prevent the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 from the patient to the health personnel and vice versa in health care settings. However, in the case of emergency surgeries, it is not always possible to ensure that the patient is not infected with SARS-CoV-2, assuming a potential source of transmission of the virus to health personnel. This work aimed to evaluate the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 and quantify the viral load in indoor air samples collected inside operating rooms, where emergency and scheduled operations take place. Samples were collected for 3 weeks inside two operating rooms for 24 h at 38 L/min in quartz filters. RNA was extracted from the filters and analyzed using RT-qPCR targeting SARS-CoV-2 genes E, N1 and N2 regions. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 11.3% of aerosol samples collected in operating rooms, despite with low concentrations (not detected at 13.5 cg/m3 and 10.5 cg/m3 in the scheduled and emergency operating rooms, respectively). Potential sources of airborne SARS-CoV-2 could be aerosolization of the virus during aerosol-generating procedures and in open surgery from patients that might have been recently infected with the virus, despite presenting a negative COVID-19 test. Another source could be related to health care workers unknowingly infected with the virus and exhaling SARS-CoV-2 virions into the air. These results highlight the importance of reinforcing preventive measures against COVID-19 in operating rooms, such as the correct use of protective equipment, screening programs for health care workers, and information campaigns. IMPORTANCE Operating rooms are critical environments in which asepsis must be ensured. The COVID-19 pandemic entailed the implementation of additional preventative measures in health care settings, including operating theaters. Although one of the measures is to operate only COVID-19 free patients, this measure cannot be always implemented, especially in emergency interventions. Therefore, a surveillance campaign was conducted during 3 weeks in two operating rooms to assess the level of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material detected in operating theaters with the aim to assess the risk of COVID-19 transmission during operating procedures. SARS-CoV-2 genetic material was detected in 11% of aerosol samples collected in operating rooms, despite with low concentrations. Plausible SARS-CoV-2 sources have been discussed, including patients and health care personnel infected with the virus. These results highlight the importance of reinforcing preventive measures against COVID-19 in operating rooms, such as the correct use of protective equipment, screening programs for health care workers and information campaigns.
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Tang SGH, Hadi MHH, Arsad SR, Ker PJ, Ramanathan S, Afandi NAM, Afzal MM, Yaw MW, Krishnan PS, Chen CP, Tiong SK. Prerequisite for COVID-19 Prediction: A Review on Factors Affecting the Infection Rate. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12997. [PMID: 36293576 PMCID: PMC9602751 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192012997] [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: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Since the year 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as the dominant topic of discussion in the public and research domains. Intensive research has been carried out on several aspects of COVID-19, including vaccines, its transmission mechanism, detection of COVID-19 infection, and its infection rate and factors. The awareness of the public related to the COVID-19 infection factors enables the public to adhere to the standard operating procedures, while a full elucidation on the correlation of different factors to the infection rate facilitates effective measures to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection by policy makers and enforcers. Hence, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive and analytical review of different factors affecting the COVID-19 infection rate. Furthermore, this review analyses factors which directly and indirectly affect the COVID-19 infection risk, such as physical distance, ventilation, face masks, meteorological factor, socioeconomic factor, vaccination, host factor, SARS-CoV-2 variants, and the availability of COVID-19 testing. Critical analysis was performed for the different factors by providing quantitative and qualitative studies. Lastly, the challenges of correlating each infection risk factor to the predicted risk of COVID-19 infection are discussed, and recommendations for further research works and interventions are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Gee Hoon Tang
- Center for Toxicology and Health Risk Studies (CORE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Muhamad Haziq Hasnul Hadi
- Institute of Sustainable Energy, Department of Electrical & Electronics, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
| | - Siti Rosilah Arsad
- Institute of Sustainable Energy, Department of Electrical & Electronics, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
| | - Pin Jern Ker
- Institute of Sustainable Energy, Department of Electrical & Electronics, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
| | - Santhi Ramanathan
- Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Jalan Ayer Keroh Lama, Malacca 75450, Malaysia
| | - Nayli Aliah Mohd Afandi
- Institute of Sustainable Energy, Department of Electrical & Electronics, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
| | - Madihah Mohd Afzal
- Center for Toxicology and Health Risk Studies (CORE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia
| | - Mei Wyin Yaw
- Institute of Sustainable Energy, Department of Electrical & Electronics, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
| | - Prajindra Sankar Krishnan
- Institute of Sustainable Energy, Department of Electrical & Electronics, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
| | - Chai Phing Chen
- Institute of Sustainable Energy, Department of Electrical & Electronics, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
| | - Sieh Kiong Tiong
- Institute of Sustainable Energy, Department of Electrical & Electronics, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang 43000, Malaysia
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Masud M, Islam MH, Kim BN. Understanding the Role of Environmental Transmission on COVID-19 Herd Immunity and Invasion Potential. Bull Math Biol 2022; 84:116. [PMID: 36088430 PMCID: PMC9464060 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-022-01070-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCOVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is mainly transmitted directly between humans. However, it is observed that this disease can also be transmitted through an indirect route via environmental fomites. The development of appropriate and effective vaccines has allowed us to target and anticipate herd immunity. Understanding of the transmission dynamics and the persistence of the virus on environmental fomites and their resistive role on indirect transmission of the virus is an important scientific and public health challenge because it is essential to consider all possible transmission routes and route specific transmission strength to accurately quantify the herd immunity threshold. In this paper, we present a mathematical model that considers both direct and indirect transmission modes. Our analysis focuses on establishing the disease invasion threshold, investigating its sensitivity to both transmission routes and isolate route-specific transmission rate. Using the tau-leap algorithm, we perform a stochastic model simulation to address the invasion potential of both transmission routes. Our analysis shows that direct transmission has a higher invasion potential than that of the indirect transmission. As a proof of this concept, we fitted our model with early epidemic data from several countries to uniquely estimate the reproduction numbers associated with direct and indirect transmission upon confirming the identifiability of the parameters. As the indirect transmission possess lower invasion potential than direct transmission, proper estimation and necessary steps toward mitigating it would help reduce vaccination requirement.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.A Masud
- Natural Product Informatics Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, 25451 South Korea
| | - Md. Hamidul Islam
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205 Bangladesh
| | - Byul Nim Kim
- Institute for Mathematical Convergence, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 41566 South Korea
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Adedeji AA, Vijayakumar PP. The propensity of fomite spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus through produce supply chain. BULLETIN OF THE NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE 2022; 46:245. [PMID: 36156873 PMCID: PMC9483276 DOI: 10.1186/s42269-022-00935-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global community has battled the spread of SAR-CoV-2 for almost 2 years, and the projection is that the virus may be recurrent like the seasonal flu. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic disrupted activities within the food supply chain that cost billions of dollars globally. This has heightened concerns about fomite spread of the virus through surfaces. There is an urgent need to understand the risk portends by this virus along the produce supply chain with conditions (low temperature and high relative humidity) conducive to extended survival of the virus. MAIN BODY Pre-dating SARS-CoV-2 are other types of coronaviruses that had lower infection and mortality rates. There are some similarities between the former and the new coronavirus, especially with regards to transmission modes and their survivability on surfaces. There is evidence of other coronaviruses' survival on surfaces for weeks. Currently, there are limited evidence-based studies to enlighten us on how the virus is transmitted within the produce supply chain. A few studies claim that the virus could spread through the cold supply chains. However, these are not sufficient to make a conclusive inference about the deadly SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS This paper provides a succinct review of the literature on current understanding of the transmission, survivability, and risk SARS-CoV-2 portend to humans within the produce supply chain and calls for more evidence-based research to allay or alert us of the potential risk of fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The paper also highlights examples of conventional and novel non-thermal inactivation and sanitation methods applicable to this type of virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinbode A. Adedeji
- Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY USA
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The Contribution of Design Thinking to Museum Digital Transformation in Post-Pandemic Times. MULTIMODAL TECHNOLOGIES AND INTERACTION 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/mti6090079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
With this article, I would like to present a critical examination of my position on the role of design in museums by focusing on the influence of human-centred design practices (also known as design thinking) in the context of digital transformation in museums, a transformation that has been accelerated by two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions. The article aims to offer a set of propositions about the contribution of design thinking (DT) to the main challenges museums are facing in a moment of digital transformation. A rigorous evaluation of the value of DT on museums is beyond the scope of this article, however, there is a sufficient body of academic and professional literature to hypothesise the contribution of DT in addressing digital transformation challenges. My argumentation is supported by evidence from the literature review in the museum sector and academia. Firstly, through a critical examination of facts (museum initiatives during the pandemic) and a critical reflection of existing literature, I will identify a set of key museum challenges. Secondly, by critically looking at design literature, I will suggest a set of propositions by discussing the contribution of DT practices in addressing those challenges.
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Baker CA, Hamilton AN, Chandran S, Poncet AM, Gibson KE. Transfer of Phi6 Bacteriophage Between Human Skin and Surfaces Common to Consumer-Facing Environments. J Appl Microbiol 2022; 133:3719-3727. [PMID: 36083101 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15809] [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: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS This study aimed to determine the extent of Phi6 (Φ6) transfer between skin and surfaces relevant to consumer-facing environments based on inoculum matrix, surface type, and contact time. METHODS AND RESULTS Φ6 transfer rates were determined from skin-to-fomite and fomite-to-skin influenced by inoculum matrix (artificial saliva and tripartite), surface type (aluminum, plastic, stainless steel, touchscreen, vinyl, and wood) and contact time (5 and 10 s). Significant differences in estimated means were observed based on surface type (both transfer directions), inoculum matrix (skin-to-fomite), and contact time (both transfer directions). During a sequential transfer experiment from fomite-to-skin, the maximum number of consecutive transfer events observed was 3.33 ± 1.19, 2.33 ± 1.20, and 1.67 ± 1.21 for plastic, touchscreen, and vinyl, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Contact time significantly impacted Φ6 transfer rates, which may be attributed to skin absorption dynamics. Surface type should be considered for assessing Φ6 transfer rates. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY Although the persistence of Φ6 on fomites has been characterized, limited data is available regarding the transfer of Φ6 amongst skin and fomites. Determining Φ6 transfer rates for surfaces in consumer-facing environments based on these factors is needed to better inform future virus transmission mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Baker
- Department of Food Science, Center for Food Safety, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 72704, Fayetteville, AR.,Current address: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5001 Campus Drive, College Park, 20740, Maryland
| | - Allyson N Hamilton
- Department of Food Science, Center for Food Safety, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 72704, Fayetteville, AR
| | - Sahaana Chandran
- Department of Food Science, Center for Food Safety, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 72704, Fayetteville, AR
| | - Aurelie M Poncet
- Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 72701, Fayetteville, AR
| | - Kristen E Gibson
- Department of Food Science, Center for Food Safety, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, 72704, Fayetteville, AR
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Wilson AM, Jones RM. Exploring spatial averaging of contamination in fomite microbial transfer models and implications for dose. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 32:759-766. [PMID: 34743183 PMCID: PMC8571976 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-021-00398-2] [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: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND When modeling exposures from contact with fomites, there are many choices in defining the sizes of compartments representing environmental surfaces and hands, and the portions of compartments involved in contacts. These choices impact dose estimates, yet there is limited guidance for selection of these model parameters. OBJECTIVE The study objective was to explore methods for representing environmental surface and hand contact areas in exposure models and implications for estimated doses. METHODS A simple scenario was used: an individual using their hands to contact their face and two microbially contaminated environmental surfaces. Four models were developed to explore different compartmentalization strategies: (1) hands and environmental surfaces each represented by one compartment, (2) hands represented by two compartments (fingertips vs. non-fingertip areas) while environmental surfaces were represented by one compartment, (3) hands represented by a single compartment and environmental surfaces represented by two compartments, and (4) hands and environmental surfaces each represented by two compartments. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the influence of heterogeneous surface contact frequency, hand contact type, and hand dominance on dose. RESULTS Estimated doses were greatest when hand areas and environmental surfaces were each represented by two compartments, indicating that surface area "dilutes" contaminant concentration and decreases estimated dose. SIGNIFICANCE Model compartment designations for hands and environmental surfaces affect dose estimation, but more human behavior data are needed. IMPACT STATEMENT A common problem for exposure models describing exposures via hand-to-surface contacts occurs in the way that estimated contamination across human skin (usually hands) or across environmental surfaces is spatially averaged, as opposed to accounting for concentration changes across specific parts of the hand or individual surfaces. This can lead to the dilution of estimated contaminants and biases in estimated doses in risk assessments. The magnitude of these biases and implications for the accuracy in risk assessments are unknown. We quantify differences in dose for various strategies of compartmentalizing environmental surfaces and hands to inform guidance on future exposure model development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Wilson
- Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
- Department of Community, Environment & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
| | - Rachael M Jones
- Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Zhang X, Wu J, Smith LM, Li X, Yancey O, Franzblau A, Dvonch JT, Xi C, Neitzel RL. Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in air and on surfaces and estimating infection risk in buildings and buses on a university campus. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 32:751-758. [PMID: 35477766 PMCID: PMC9045468 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00442-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence is needed on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in various types of environmental samples and on the estimated transmission risks in non-healthcare settings on campus. OBJECTIVES The objective of this research was to collect data on SARS-CoV-2 viral load and to examine potential infection risks of people exposed to the virus in publicly accessible non-healthcare environments on a university campus. METHODS Air and surface samples were collected using wetted wall cyclone bioaerosol samplers and swab kits, respectively, in a longitudinal environmental surveillance program from August 2020 until April 2021 on the University of Michigan Ann Arbor campus. Quantitative rRT-PCR with primers and probes targeting gene N1 were used for SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification. The RNA concentrations were used to estimate the probability of infection by quantitative microbial risk assessment modeling and Monte-Carlo simulation. RESULTS In total, 256 air samples and 517 surface samples were collected during the study period, among which positive rates were 1.6% and 1.4%, respectively. Point-biserial correlation showed that the total case number on campus was significantly higher in weeks with positive environmental samples than in non-positive weeks (p = 0.001). The estimated probability of infection was about 1 per 100 exposures to SARS-CoV-2-laden aerosols through inhalation and as high as 1 per 100,000 exposures from contacting contaminated surfaces in simulated scenarios. SIGNIFICANCE Viral shedding was demonstrated by the detection of viral RNA in multiple air and surface samples on a university campus. The low overall positivity rate indicated that the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 at monitored locations was low. Risk modeling results suggest that inhalation is the predominant route of exposure compared to surface contact, which emphasizes the importance of protecting individuals from airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and potentially other respiratory infectious diseases. IMPACT Given the reoccurring epidemics caused by highly infectious respiratory viruses in recent years, our manuscript reinforces the importance of monitoring environmental transmission by the simultaneous sampling and integration of multiple environmental surveillance matrices for modeling and risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jianfeng Wu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lauren M Smith
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Olivia Yancey
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alfred Franzblau
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - J Timothy Dvonch
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Chuanwu Xi
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Richard L Neitzel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Unger K, Dietz L, Horve P, Van Den Wymelenberg K, Lin A, Kinney E, Kea B. Evaluating fomite risk of brown paper bags storing personal protective equipment exposed to SARS-CoV-2: A quasi-experimental study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273433. [PMID: 36026512 PMCID: PMC9417035 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Literature is lacking on the safety of storing contaminated PPE in paper bags for reuse, potentially increasing exposure to frontline healthcare workers (HCW) and patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of paper bags as a barrier for fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by storing face masks, respirators, and face shields. Methods This quasi-experimental study evaluated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on the interior and exterior surfaces of paper bags containing PPE that had aerosolized exposures in clinical and simulated settings. Between May and October 2020, 30 unique PPE items were collected from COVID-19 units at two urban hospitals. Exposed PPE, worn by either an infected patient or HCW during a SARS-CoV-2 aerosolizing event, were placed into an unused paper bag. Samples were tested at 30-minute and 12-hour intervals. Results A total of 177 swabs were processed from 30 PPE samples. We found a 6.8% positivity rate among all samples across both collection sites. Highest positivity rates were associated with ventilator disconnection and exposure to respiratory droplets from coughing. Positivity rates differed between hospital units. Total positivity rates were similar between 30-minute (6.7%) and 12-hour (6.9%) sample testing time intervals. Control samples exposed to inactivated SARS-CoV-2 droplets had higher total viral counts than samples exposed to nebulized aerosols. Conclusions Data suggests paper bags are not a significant fomite risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. However, controls demonstrated a risk with droplet exposure. Data can inform guidelines for storing and re-using PPE in situations of limited supplies during future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyirsty Unger
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Leslie Dietz
- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Patrick Horve
- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States of America
| | | | - Amber Lin
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Erin Kinney
- School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Bory Kea
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Center for Policy and Emergency Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
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Parihar A, Ahmed SS, Sharma P, Choudhary NK, Akter F, Ali MA, Sonia ZF, Khan R. Plant-based bioactive molecules for targeting of endoribonuclease using steered molecular dynamic simulation approach: a highly conserved therapeutic target against variants of SARS-CoV-2. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2022.2113811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Arpana Parihar
- Industrial Waste Utilization, Nano and Biomaterials, CSIR-Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), Bhopal, India
| | - Sayeda Samina Ahmed
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Palak Sharma
- NIMS Institute of Allied Medical Science and Technology, NIMS University, Jaipur, India
| | | | - Farjana Akter
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Ackas Ali
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Zannatul Ferdous Sonia
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Raju Khan
- Industrial Waste Utilization, Nano and Biomaterials, CSIR-Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), Bhopal, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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Plohl O, Fric K, Filipić A, Kogovšek P, Tušek Žnidarič M, Zemljič LF. First Insights into the Antiviral Activity of Chitosan-Based Bioactive Polymers towards the Bacteriophage Phi6: Physicochemical Characterization, Inactivation Potential, and Inhibitory Mechanisms. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14163357. [PMID: 36015613 PMCID: PMC9413598 DOI: 10.3390/polym14163357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of the worrisome coronavirus disease in 2019 has caused great concern among the global public, especially regarding the need for personal protective equipment with applied antiviral agents to reduce the spread and transmission of the virus. Thus, in our research, chitosan-based bioactive polymers as potential antiviral agents were first evaluated as colloidal macromolecular solutions by elemental analysis and charge. Three different types of low and high molecular weight chitosan (LMW Ch, HMW Ch) and a LMW Ch derivative, i.e., quaternary chitosan (quart-LMW Ch), were used. To explore their antiviral activity for subsequent use in the form of coatings, the macromolecular Chs dispersions were incubated with the model virus phi6 (surrogate for SARS-CoV-2), and the success of virus inactivation was determined. Inactivation of phi6 with some chitosan-based compounds was very successful (>6 log), and the mechanisms behind this were explored. The changes in viral morphology after incubation were observed and the changes in infrared bands position were determined. In addition, dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering studies were performed to better understand the interaction between Chs and phi6. The results allowed us to better understand the antiviral mode of action of Chs agents as a function of their physicochemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivija Plohl
- Laboratory for Characterization and Processing of Polymers, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +386-2-229-7715
| | - Katja Fric
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Arijana Filipić
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Polona Kogovšek
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Magda Tušek Žnidarič
- Department of Biotechnology and Systems Biology, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lidija Fras Zemljič
- Laboratory for Characterization and Processing of Polymers, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova ulica 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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MacIsaac SA, Mullin TJ, Munoz S, Ontiveros CC, Gagnon GA. Immersive ultraviolet disinfection of E. coli and MS2 phage on woven cotton textiles. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13260. [PMID: 35918389 PMCID: PMC9345007 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17663-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Immersive ultraviolet disinfection provides a chemical-free technology for safer textiles, surfaces, and public spaces by inactivating communicable pathogens. This study examined immersive UV disinfection, using a disinfection cabinet, of E. coli and MS2 that was inoculated on white cotton T-shirts. The impact that porous materials have on UV disinfection is poorly understood with the majority of previous surface disinfection research focusing on hard, smooth surfaces. Several approaches were used in this study to characterize the light dynamics within the disinfection cabinet including colorimetric dosimetry coupons, biodosimetry, and spectroradiometry. Micro and macro geometry of porous surfaces are important factors to consider when using immersive UV technologies. The geometry of the cabinet impacted the distribution of emitted UV light within the disinfection cabinet and the physical properties of a porous material, such as the woven pattern of cotton, both contribute to UV disinfection efficiency. This work identified that light distribution is crucial for immersive UV technologies as the delivered fluence was highly variable within the disinfection cabinet and resulted in a difference of several logs of reduction for adjacent areas of T-shirt samples. Other inoculated areas achieved upwards of 1-log reductions values for MS2 and upwards of 2-log reductions for E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean A MacIsaac
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, 1360 Barrington St., Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Toni J Mullin
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, 1360 Barrington St., Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Sebastian Munoz
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, 1360 Barrington St., Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - C Carolina Ontiveros
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, 1360 Barrington St., Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Graham A Gagnon
- Centre for Water Resources Studies, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering, Dalhousie University, 1360 Barrington St., Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
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Brault A, Néré R, Prados J, Boudreault S, Bisaillon M, Marchand P, Couture P, Labbé S. Cellulosic copper nanoparticles and a hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectant trigger rapid inactivation of pseudoviral particles expressing the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV. Metallomics 2022; 14:mfac044. [PMID: 35731587 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfac044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a viral respiratory infection caused by human coronaviruses that include SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). Although their primary mode of transmission is through contaminated respiratory droplets from infected carriers, the deposition of expelled virus particles onto surfaces and fomites could contribute to viral transmission. Here, we use replication-deficient murine leukemia virus (MLV) pseudoviral particles expressing SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, or MERS-CoV Spike (S) protein on their surface. These surrogates of native coronavirus counterparts serve as a model to analyze the S-mediated entry into target cells. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) nanofibers that are combined with copper (Cu) exhibit strong antimicrobial properties. S-pseudovirions that are exposed to CMC-Cu nanoparticles (30 s) display a dramatic reduction in their ability to infect target Vero E6 cells, with ∼97% less infectivity as compared to untreated pseudovirions. In contrast, addition of the Cu chelator tetrathiomolybdate protects S-pseudovirions from CMC-Cu-mediated inactivation. When S-pseudovirions were treated with a hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectant (denoted SaberTM) used at 1:250 dilution, their infectivity was dramatically reduced by ∼98%. However, the combined use of SaberTM and CMC-Cu is the most effective approach to restrict infectivity of SARS-CoV-2-S, SARS-CoV-S, and MERS-CoV-S pseudovirions in Vero E6 cell assays. Together, these results show that cellulosic Cu nanoparticles enhance the effectiveness of diluted SaberTM sanitizer, setting up an improved strategy to lower the risk of surface- and fomite-mediated transmission of enveloped respiratory viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Brault
- Département de Biochimie et de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Raphael Néré
- Département de Biochimie et de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Jérôme Prados
- Département de Biochimie et de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Simon Boudreault
- Département de Biochimie et de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada
| | - Martin Bisaillon
- Département de Biochimie et de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada
| | | | | | - Simon Labbé
- Département de Biochimie et de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1E 4K8, Canada
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Arnaboldi S, Mangeri L, Galuppini E, Righi F, Tilola M, Scarazzato A, Bertasi B, Finazzi G, Varisco G, Filipello V, Losio MN. Is SARS-CoV-2 a Concern for Food Safety? A Very Low Prevalence from a Food Survey during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Northern Italy. Foods 2022; 11:foods11142096. [PMID: 35885339 PMCID: PMC9324013 DOI: 10.3390/foods11142096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In 2019, SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the cause of an easily transmissible disease that was declared as a world pandemic. Foodborne transmission was never reported. However, early studies suggested that food could be involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry in the human gastrointestinal tract leading to possible infection, and highlighting the importance of further studies to inspect possible issues linked to food consumption. In this perspective, this work aimed at monitoring SARS-CoV-2 presence in some food and mains water samples in Northern Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). A total of 1806 foods, 112 mains water samples, and 580 swabs on meat and dairy product surfaces were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by Real-time PCR. All the analyzed samples were negative to viral RNA detection with the exception of one vegetable sample. Even if data on foodborne coronavirus transmission suggested a limited importance of this pathway, the impact of the current pandemic in Northern Italy deserved a rigorous investigation to rule out such possibility. Indeed, gaining insight on all SARS-CoV-2 possible transmission pathways, including the foodborne route, seemed of interest to maintain consumers’ confidence and trust in food safety, and for the effective management of the current, and future, possible pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Arnaboldi
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0302290381
| | - Lucia Mangeri
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Galuppini
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Righi
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Tilola
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Annalisa Scarazzato
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
| | - Barbara Bertasi
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Guido Finazzi
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Varisco
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Virginia Filipello
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marina-Nadia Losio
- Food Safety Department, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via A. Bianchi 9, 25124 Brescia, Italy; (L.M.); (E.G.); (F.R.); (M.T.); (A.S.); (B.B.); (G.F.); (G.V.); (V.F.); (M.-N.L.)
- National Reference Centre for Emerging Risks in Food Safety (CRESA), Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Via Celoria 12, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Sobolik JS, Sajewski ET, Jaykus LA, Cooper DK, Lopman BA, Kraay AN, Ryan PB, Guest JL, Webb-Girard A, Leon JS. Decontamination of SARS-CoV-2 from cold-chain food packaging provides no marginal benefit in risk reduction to food workers. Food Control 2022; 136:108845. [PMID: 35075333 PMCID: PMC8770992 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.108845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Countries continue to debate the need for decontamination of cold-chain food packaging to reduce possible severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) fomite transmission among frontline workers. While laboratory-based studies demonstrate persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces, the likelihood of fomite-mediated transmission under real-life conditions is uncertain. Using a quantitative microbial risk assessment model of a frozen food packaging facility, we simulated 1) SARS-CoV-2 fomite-mediated infection risks following worker exposure to contaminated plastic packaging; and 2) reductions in these risks from masking, handwashing, and vaccination. In a frozen food facility without interventions, SARS-CoV-2 infection risk to a susceptible worker from contact with contaminated packaging was 1.5 × 10-3 per 1h-period (5th - 95th percentile: 9.2 × 10-6, 1.2 × 10-2). Standard food industry infection control interventions, handwashing and masking, reduced risk (99.4%) to 8.5 × 10-6 risk per 1h-period (5th - 95th percentile: 2.8 × 10-8, 6.6 × 10-5). Vaccination of the susceptible worker (two doses Pfizer/Moderna, vaccine effectiveness: 86-99%) with handwashing and masking reduced risk to 5.2 × 10-7 risk per 1h-period (5th - 95th percentile: 1.8 × 10-9, 5.4 × 10-6). Simulating increased transmissibility of current and future variants (Delta, Omicron), (2-, 10-fold viral shedding) among a fully vaccinated workforce, handwashing and masking continued to mitigate risk (1.4 × 10-6 - 8.8 × 10-6 risk per 1h-period). Additional decontamination of frozen food plastic packaging reduced infection risks to 1.2 × 10-8 risk per 1h-period (5th - 95th percentile: 1.9 × 10-11, 9.5 × 10-8). Given that standard infection control interventions reduced risks well below 1 × 10-4 (World Health Organization water quality risk thresholds), additional packaging decontamination suggest no marginal benefit in risk reduction. Consequences of this decontamination may include increased chemical exposures to workers, food quality and hazard risks to consumers, and unnecessary added costs to governments and the global food industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia S. Sobolik
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA,Corresponding author. 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | | | - Lee-Ann Jaykus
- Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - D. Kane Cooper
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Ben A. Lopman
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Alicia N.M. Kraay
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - P. Barry Ryan
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Jodie L. Guest
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Amy Webb-Girard
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Juan S. Leon
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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Baker CA, Gibson KE. Persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on Surfaces and Relevance to the Food Industry. Curr Opin Food Sci 2022; 47:100875. [PMID: 35784376 PMCID: PMC9238272 DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2022.100875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Determining the prevalence and persistence of viruses outside the human host aids our ability to characterize exposure risk across multiple transmission pathways. Since 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic has resulted in a surge of research regarding severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its potential to spread via direct and indirect contact transmission routes. Here, the authors discuss the current state of the science concerning SARS-CoV-2 transmission via contaminated surfaces and its persistence on environmental surfaces. This review aims to provide the reader with an overview of the currently published SARS-CoV-2 persistence studies, factors impacting persistence, guidelines for performing persistence studies, limitation of current data, and future directions for assessing SARS-CoV-2 persistence on fomites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Baker
- Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR 72704, USA
| | - Kristen E Gibson
- Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville, AR 72704, USA
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50
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Inactivating SARS-CoV-2 Surrogates on Surfaces Using Engineered Water Nanostructures Incorporated with Nature Derived Antimicrobials. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12101735. [PMID: 35630957 PMCID: PMC9146109 DOI: 10.3390/nano12101735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The continuing cases of COVID-19 due to emerging strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus underscore the urgent need to develop effective antiviral technologies. A crucial aspect of reducing transmission of the virus is through environmental disinfection. To this end, a nanotechnology-based antimicrobial platform utilizing engineered water nanostructures (EWNS) was utilized to challenge the human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E), a surrogate of SARS-CoV-2, on surfaces. The EWNS were synthesized using electrospray and ionization of aqueous solutions of antimicrobials, had a size in the nanoscale, and contained both antimicrobial agents and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Various EWNS were synthesized using single active ingredients (AI) as well as their combinations. The results of EWNS treatment indicate that EWNS produced with a cocktail of hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, lysozyme, nisin, and triethylene glycol was able to inactivate 3.8 logs of HCoV-229E, in 30 s of treatment. The delivered dose of antimicrobials to the surface was measured to be in pico to nanograms. These results indicate the efficacy of EWNS technology as a nano-carrier for delivering a minuscule dose while inactivating HCoV-229E, making this an attractive technology against SARS-CoV-2.
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