Monitoring COVID-19 Transmission Risks by Quantitative Real-Time PCR Tracing of Droplets in Hospital and Living Environments.

ABSTRACT: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) environmental contamination occurs through droplets and biological fluids released in the surroundings from patients or asymptomatic carriers. Surfaces and objects contaminated by saliva or nose secretions represent a risk for indirect transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We assayed surfaces from hospital and living spaces to identify the presence of viral RNA and the spread of fomites in the environment. Anthropic contamination by droplets and biological fluids was monitored by detecting the microbiota signature using multiplex quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) on selected species and massive sequencing on 16S amplicons. A total of 92 samples (flocked swabs) were collected from critical areas during the pandemic,

SUBMITTER: Piana A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7845593 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature