Escola de Enfermagem da Universidade de São Paulo, Av Dr Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo, SP, 05403-000, Brazil.
PETIRAS Research Group, São Paulo, Brazil.
Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 2021 May 27;10(1):82. doi: 10.1186/s13756-021-00955-2.
Aerosolization may occur during reprocessing of medical devices. With the current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, it is important to understand the necessity of using respirators in the cleaning area of the sterile processing department. To evaluate the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in the air of the sterile processing department during the reprocessing of contaminated medical devices. Air and surface samples were collected from the sterile processing department of two teaching tertiary hospitals during the reprocessing of respiratory equipment used in patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 and from intensive care units during treatment of these patients. SARS-CoV-2 was detected only in 1 air sample before the beginning of decontamination process. Viable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA was not detected in any sample collected from around symptomatic patients or in sterile processing department samples. The cleaning of respiratory equipment does not cause aerosolization of SARS-CoV-2. We believe that the use of medical masks is sufficient while reprocessing medical devices during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
在医疗器械再处理过程中可能会发生气溶胶化。在当前的 2019 冠状病毒病大流行期间，了解在无菌处理部门的清洁区域使用呼吸器的必要性非常重要。为了评估在处理污染的医疗器械时无菌处理部门空气中严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒（SARS-CoV-2）的存在情况。在处理被诊断为 2019 冠状病毒病患者使用的呼吸设备期间，从两家教学三甲医院的无菌处理部门以及治疗这些患者的重症监护病房采集了空气和表面样本。在开始消毒过程之前，仅在 1 个空气样本中检测到 SARS-CoV-2。在采集自有症状患者周围或无菌处理部门样本中均未检测到存活的严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2 型 RNA。清洁呼吸设备不会导致 SARS-CoV-2 的气溶胶化。我们认为，在 2019 冠状病毒病大流行期间处理医疗器械时，使用医用口罩就足够了。
