Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Can Contaminate Their Surroundings: an Environment Sampling Study

ABSTRACT The contamination of patients’ surroundings by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains understudied. We sampled the surroundings and the air of six negative-pressure non-intensive care unit (non-ICU) rooms in a designated isolation ward in Chengdu, China, that w...

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Autores principales:	Li Wei, Ji Lin, Xiaofei Duan, Wenzhi Huang, Xiaojun Lu, Juan Zhou, Zhiyong Zong
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	American Society for Microbiology 2020
Materias:	COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination Microbiology QR1-502
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/33bf991eac0c409c81e3edb20e6fd585
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:33bf991eac0c409c81e3edb20e6fd5852021-11-15T15:30:16ZAsymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Can Contaminate Their Surroundings: an Environment Sampling Study10.1128/mSphere.00442-202379-5042https://doaj.org/article/33bf991eac0c409c81e3edb20e6fd5852020-06-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/mSphere.00442-20https://doaj.org/toc/2379-5042ABSTRACT The contamination of patients’ surroundings by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains understudied. We sampled the surroundings and the air of six negative-pressure non-intensive care unit (non-ICU) rooms in a designated isolation ward in Chengdu, China, that were occupied by 13 laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who had returned from overseas travel, including 2 asymptomatic patients. A total of 44 of 112 (39.3%) surface samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 as detected by real-time PCR, suggesting extensive contamination, although all of the air samples were negative. In particular, in a single room occupied by an asymptomatic patient, four sites were SARS-CoV-2 positive, highlighting that asymptomatic COVID-19 patients do contaminate their surroundings and impose risks for others with close contact. Placement of COVID-19 patients in rooms with negative pressure may bring a false feeling of safety, and the importance of rigorous environment cleaning should be emphasized. IMPORTANCE Although it has been well recognized that the virus SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, can be acquired by exposure to fomites, surprisingly, the contamination of patients’ surroundings by SARS-CoV-2 is largely unknown, as there have been few studies. We performed an environmental sampling study for 13 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients and found extensive contamination of patients’ surroundings. In particular, we found that asymptomatic COVID-19 patients contaminated their surroundings and therefore imposed risks for other people. Environment cleaning should be emphasized in negative-pressure rooms. The findings may be useful to guide infection control practice to protect health care workers.Li WeiJi LinXiaofei DuanWenzhi HuangXiaojun LuJuan ZhouZhiyong ZongAmerican Society for MicrobiologyarticleCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2environmental contaminationMicrobiologyQR1-502ENmSphere, Vol 5, Iss 3 (2020)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination Microbiology QR1-502
spellingShingle	COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination Microbiology QR1-502 Li Wei Ji Lin Xiaofei Duan Wenzhi Huang Xiaojun Lu Juan Zhou Zhiyong Zong Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Can Contaminate Their Surroundings: an Environment Sampling Study
description	ABSTRACT The contamination of patients’ surroundings by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains understudied. We sampled the surroundings and the air of six negative-pressure non-intensive care unit (non-ICU) rooms in a designated isolation ward in Chengdu, China, that were occupied by 13 laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who had returned from overseas travel, including 2 asymptomatic patients. A total of 44 of 112 (39.3%) surface samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 as detected by real-time PCR, suggesting extensive contamination, although all of the air samples were negative. In particular, in a single room occupied by an asymptomatic patient, four sites were SARS-CoV-2 positive, highlighting that asymptomatic COVID-19 patients do contaminate their surroundings and impose risks for others with close contact. Placement of COVID-19 patients in rooms with negative pressure may bring a false feeling of safety, and the importance of rigorous environment cleaning should be emphasized. IMPORTANCE Although it has been well recognized that the virus SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, can be acquired by exposure to fomites, surprisingly, the contamination of patients’ surroundings by SARS-CoV-2 is largely unknown, as there have been few studies. We performed an environmental sampling study for 13 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients and found extensive contamination of patients’ surroundings. In particular, we found that asymptomatic COVID-19 patients contaminated their surroundings and therefore imposed risks for other people. Environment cleaning should be emphasized in negative-pressure rooms. The findings may be useful to guide infection control practice to protect health care workers.
format	article
author	Li Wei Ji Lin Xiaofei Duan Wenzhi Huang Xiaojun Lu Juan Zhou Zhiyong Zong
author_facet	Li Wei Ji Lin Xiaofei Duan Wenzhi Huang Xiaojun Lu Juan Zhou Zhiyong Zong
author_sort	Li Wei
title	Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Can Contaminate Their Surroundings: an Environment Sampling Study
title_short	Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Can Contaminate Their Surroundings: an Environment Sampling Study
title_full	Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Can Contaminate Their Surroundings: an Environment Sampling Study
title_fullStr	Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Can Contaminate Their Surroundings: an Environment Sampling Study
title_full_unstemmed	Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Can Contaminate Their Surroundings: an Environment Sampling Study
title_sort	asymptomatic covid-19 patients can contaminate their surroundings: an environment sampling study
publisher	American Society for Microbiology
publishDate	2020
url	https://doaj.org/article/33bf991eac0c409c81e3edb20e6fd585
work_keys_str_mv	AT liwei asymptomaticcovid19patientscancontaminatetheirsurroundingsanenvironmentsamplingstudy AT jilin asymptomaticcovid19patientscancontaminatetheirsurroundingsanenvironmentsamplingstudy AT xiaofeiduan asymptomaticcovid19patientscancontaminatetheirsurroundingsanenvironmentsamplingstudy AT wenzhihuang asymptomaticcovid19patientscancontaminatetheirsurroundingsanenvironmentsamplingstudy AT xiaojunlu asymptomaticcovid19patientscancontaminatetheirsurroundingsanenvironmentsamplingstudy AT juanzhou asymptomaticcovid19patientscancontaminatetheirsurroundingsanenvironmentsamplingstudy AT zhiyongzong asymptomaticcovid19patientscancontaminatetheirsurroundingsanenvironmentsamplingstudy
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Asymptomatic COVID-19 Patients Can Contaminate Their Surroundings: an Environment Sampling Study

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