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Limaheluw J, Dollmann S, Folpmers S, Beltrán Beut L, Lazarakou A, Vermeulen LC, de Roda Husman AM. Associations between meteorological factors and COVID-19: a global scoping review. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1183706. [PMID: 39091528 PMCID: PMC11291467 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1183706] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Many respiratory viruses and their associated diseases are sensitive to meteorological factors. For SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, evidence on this sensitivity is inconsistent. Understanding the influence of meteorological factors on SARS-CoV-2 transmission and COVID-19 epidemiology can help to improve pandemic preparedness. Objectives This review aimed to examine the recent evidence about the relation between meteorological factors and SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. Methods We conducted a global scoping review of peer-reviewed studies published from January 2020 up to January 2023 about the associations between temperature, solar radiation, precipitation, humidity, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure and SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. Results From 9,156 initial records, we included 474 relevant studies. Experimental studies on SARS-CoV-2 provided consistent evidence that higher temperatures and solar radiation negatively affect virus viability. Studies on COVID-19 (epidemiology) were mostly observational and provided less consistent evidence. Several studies considered interactions between meteorological factors or other variables such as demographics or air pollution. None of the publications included all determinants holistically. Discussion The association between short-term meteorological factors and SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 dynamics is complex. Interactions between environmental and social components need further consideration. A more integrated research approach can provide valuable insights to predict the dynamics of respiratory viruses with pandemic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse Limaheluw
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sophia Dollmann
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sofia Folpmers
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lola Beltrán Beut
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Afroditi Lazarakou
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Lucie C. Vermeulen
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Ana Maria de Roda Husman
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Ahmad Wadi AFA, Onomura D, Funamori H, Khatun MM, Okada S, Iizasa H, Yoshiyama H. Effects of Strain Differences, Humidity Changes, and Saliva Contamination on the Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 by Ion Irradiation. Viruses 2024; 16:520. [PMID: 38675863 PMCID: PMC11055001 DOI: 10.3390/v16040520] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the methods to inactivate viruses is to denature viral proteins using released ions. However, there have been no reports detailing the effects of changes in humidity or contamination with body fluids on the inactivation of viruses. This study investigated the effects of humidity changes and saliva contamination on the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 inactivation with ions using multiple viral strains. Virus solutions with different infectious titers were dropped onto a circular nitrocellulose membrane and irradiated with ions from 10 cm above the membrane. After the irradiation of ions for 60, 90, and 120 min, changes in viral infectious titers were measured. The effect of ions on virus inactivation under different humidity conditions was also examined using virus solutions containing 90% mixtures of saliva collected from 10 people. A decrease in viral infectivity was observed over time for all strains, but ion irradiation further accelerated the decrease in viral infectivity. Ion irradiation can inactivate all viral strains, but at 80% humidity, the effect did not appear until 90 min after irradiation. The presence of saliva protected the virus from drying and maintained infectiousness for a longer period compared with no saliva. In particular, the Omicron strain retained its infectivity titer longer than the other strains. Ion irradiation demonstrated a consistent reduction in the number of infectious viruses when compared to the control across varying levels of humidity and irradiation periods. This underscores the notable effectiveness of irradiation, even when the reduction effect is as modest as 50%, thereby emphasizing its crucial role in mitigating the rapid dissemination of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afifah Fatimah Azzahra Ahmad Wadi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya, Izumo 693-8504, Shimane, Japan; (A.F.A.A.W.); (M.M.K.); (S.O.); (H.I.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Muslim Indonesia, Makassar 9023, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Daichi Onomura
- Division of Virology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke 329-0498, Tochigi, Japan;
| | | | - Mst Mahmuda Khatun
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya, Izumo 693-8504, Shimane, Japan; (A.F.A.A.W.); (M.M.K.); (S.O.); (H.I.)
| | - Shunpei Okada
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya, Izumo 693-8504, Shimane, Japan; (A.F.A.A.W.); (M.M.K.); (S.O.); (H.I.)
| | - Hisashi Iizasa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya, Izumo 693-8504, Shimane, Japan; (A.F.A.A.W.); (M.M.K.); (S.O.); (H.I.)
| | - Hironori Yoshiyama
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya, Izumo 693-8504, Shimane, Japan; (A.F.A.A.W.); (M.M.K.); (S.O.); (H.I.)
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Mofidfar M, Mehrgardi MA, Xia Y, Zare RN. Dependence on relative humidity in the formation of reactive oxygen species in water droplets. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315940121. [PMID: 38489384 PMCID: PMC10962988 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315940121] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Water microdroplets (7 to 11 µm average diameter, depending on flow rate) are sprayed in a closed chamber at ambient temperature, whose relative humidity (RH) is controlled. The resulting concentration of ROS (reactive oxygen species) formed in the microdroplets, measured by the amount of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and by spectrofluorimetric assays after the droplets are collected. The results are found to agree closely with one another. In addition, hydrated hydroxyl radical cations (•OH-H3O+) are recorded from the droplets using mass spectrometry and superoxide radical anions (•O2-) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. As the RH varies from 15 to 95%, the concentration of H2O2 shows a marked rise by a factor of about 3.5 in going from 15 to 50%, then levels off. By replacing the H2O of the sprayed water with deuterium oxide (D2O) but keeping the gas surrounding droplets with H2O, mass spectrometric analysis of the hydrated hydroxyl radical cations demonstrates that the water in the air plays a dominant role in producing H2O2 and other ROS, which accounts for the variation with RH. As RH increases, the droplet evaporation rate decreases. These two facts help us understand why viruses in droplets both survive better at low RH values, as found in indoor air in the wintertime, and are disinfected more effectively at higher RH values, as found in indoor air in the summertime, thus explaining the recognized seasonality of airborne viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masoud A. Mehrgardi
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Chemistry, University of Isfahan, Isfahan81743, Iran
| | - Yu Xia
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Richard N. Zare
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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Krutikov M, Stirrup O, Fuller C, Adams N, Azmi B, Irwin-Singer A, Sethu N, Hayward A, Altamirano H, Copas A, Shallcross L. Built Environment and SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in Long-Term Care Facilities: Cross-Sectional Survey and Data Linkage. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2024; 25:304-313.e11. [PMID: 38065220 PMCID: PMC11139658 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2023.10.027] [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: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe the built environment in long-term care facilities (LTCF) and its association with introduction and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey with linkage to routine surveillance data. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS LTCFs in England caring for adults ≥65 years old, participating in the VIVALDI study (ISRCTN14447421) were eligible. Data were included from residents and staff. METHODS Cross-sectional survey of the LTCF built environment with linkage to routinely collected asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 testing and vaccination data between September 1, 2020, and March 31, 2022. We used individual and LTCF level Poisson and Negative Binomial regression models to identify risk factors for 4 outcomes: incidence rate of resident infections and outbreaks, outbreak size, and duration. We considered interactions with variant transmissibility (pre vs post Omicron dominance). RESULTS A total of 134 of 151 (88.7%) LTCFs participated in the survey, contributing data for 13,010 residents and 17,766 staff. After adjustment and stratification, outbreak incidence (measuring infection introduction) was only associated with SARS-CoV-2 incidence in the community [incidence rate ratio (IRR) for high vs low incidence, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.85-4.36]. Characteristics of the built environment were associated with transmission outcomes and differed by variant transmissibility. For resident infection incidence, factors included number of storeys (0.64; 0.43-0.97) and bedrooms (1.04; 1.02-1.06), and purpose-built vs converted buildings (1.99; 1.08-3.69). Air quality was associated with outbreak size (dry vs just right 1.46; 1.00-2.13). Funding model (0.99; 0.99-1.00), crowding (0.98; 0.96-0.99), and bedroom temperature (1.15; 1.01-1.32) were associated with outbreak duration. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS We describe previously undocumented diversity in LTCF built environments. LTCFs have limited opportunities to prevent SARS-CoV-2 introduction, which was only driven by community incidence. However, adjusting the built environment, for example by isolating infected residents or improving airflow, may reduce transmission, although data quality was limited by subjectivity. Identifying LTCF built environment modifications that prevent infection transmission should be a research priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Krutikov
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Oliver Stirrup
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Chris Fuller
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Natalie Adams
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Borscha Azmi
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
| | - Aidan Irwin-Singer
- Surveillance Testing and Immunity, UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
| | - Niyathi Sethu
- Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Hayward
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hector Altamirano
- Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andrew Copas
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Laura Shallcross
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
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Aikebaier S, Song Y, Li M, Liu J. Exploring the Impact and Prevention of Epidemics from a New Perspective: COVID-19 Transmission through Express Boxes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:16884. [PMID: 36554764 PMCID: PMC9778959 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The number of express boxes worldwide exceeded 170 billion in 2021, and, from several regions in China, tested positive. Therefore, it is important to study the transmission of viruses through express boxes. In this paper, we establish a model of express box virus transmission based on comprehensive consideration of environmental factors, such as temperature, disinfection, humidity, virus release intensity, and volume of vehicle, to study the transmission of express box virus, and explore the spatial and geographic spread variation of express box viruses in China. Several important findings emerged from the study, including: (1) Disinfection can prolong the spread of viruses in the express box for ≥21 h; (2) For every 1 °C rise in temperature, the infected time can be prolonged by ≥1.2 h, and for every 10% rise in relative humidity, the virus transmission time can be prolonged by ≥1.32 h; (3) In an environment suitable for virus transmission, when loaded with 1000, 2000, 4000 express boxes, areas where the express delivery time exceeds 22.56, 18, 14.64 h will face the risk of all the boxes in the carriage being infected. These findings could help public health departments prevent the risk of virus transmission from express boxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saierdaer Aikebaier
- China Emergency Management Research Center, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center of Safety Early Warning and Emergency Response Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yinghua Song
- China Emergency Management Research Center, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center of Safety Early Warning and Emergency Response Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Moxiao Li
- China Emergency Management Research Center, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center of Safety Early Warning and Emergency Response Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jiexin Liu
- China Emergency Management Research Center, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center of Safety Early Warning and Emergency Response Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
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