Dataset Information

Viable SARS-CoV-2 detected in the air of hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients with early infection.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

This study assessed the concentration of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the air of hospital rooms occupied by coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients who had viable SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal samples in early infection.

Methods

Between July and October 2021, nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 20 inpatients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to a tertiary hospital in Japan. Air samples were collected from their rooms, tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and cultured to determine potential infectivity.

Results

The nasopharyngeal swab samples of 18 patients were positive for viable SARS-CoV-2 (median concentration: 4.0×10⁵ TCID50/mL). In the air samples, viral RNA (median concentration: 1.1×10⁵ copies/m³) was detected in 12/18 (67%) patients and viable virus (median concentration: 8.9×10² TCID50/m³) was detected in 5/18 (28%) patients. The median time between illness onset and sampling was 3 days. The RNA concentration was significantly higher in samples wherein viable SARS-CoV-2 was detected than in samples in which viable virus was not detected (p = 0.027).

Conclusions

Viable SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in the air surrounding patients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection. Healthcare workers should pay attention to infection control when caring for patients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection.

SUBMITTER: Kitagawa H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9640214 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Viable SARS-CoV-2 detected in the air of hospital rooms of patients with COVID-19 with an early infection.

Kitagawa Hiroki H Nomura Toshihito T Kaiki Yuki Y Kakimoto Masaki M Nazmul Tanuza T Omori Keitaro K Shigemoto Norifumi N Sakaguchi Takemasa T Ohge Hiroki H

International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases 20221108

<h4>Objectives</h4>This study assessed the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in the air of hospital rooms occupied by patients with COVID-19 who had viable SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal (NP) samples in early infection.<h4>Methods</h4>Between July and October 2021, NP swabs were collected from 20 patients with early SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to a tertiary hospital in Japan. Air samples were collected from their rooms, tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and cultured to determine potential infectivity.<h4>Res ...[more]

PMID: 36356797

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