Bacterial Virulence and Chronic Infections, INSERM U1047, Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Montpellier, CHU Nîmes, Nîmes, France.
Bacterial Virulence and Chronic Infections, INSERM U1047, Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University of Montpellier, CHU Nîmes, Nîmes, France.
J Hosp Infect. 2022 Oct;128:74-79. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.07.029. Epub 2022 Aug 6.
Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can occur through direct, indirect, or close contact with infected people. However, the extent of environmental contamination is unknown. The nature of the relation between patients' symptoms and SARS-CoV-2 environmental shedding remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between patient coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) status and environmental contamination.
Between May and November 2020, environmental swabs were taken before and after room disinfection at day 7 after symptom onset in a cohort of patients clinically or biologically diagnosed with COVID-19. Twelve surfaces per room were collected in 13 rooms. Sample analysis was performed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 detection [SARS-CoV-2 R-Gene (biomérieux, Marcy l'Etoile, France)]. Clinical data (day of illness, symptoms, RT-PCR results) was collected from the clinical software.
Five medical units were included in the study. Of 156 samples collected in 13 rooms, five rooms (38.5%) presented 11 SARS-CoV-2-positive samples. These positive samples were detected on eight different surfaces. There was no association between detection of SARS-CoV-2 and patient age (P=1) or patient symptoms (P=0.3).
Viral shedding during COVID-19 appears to be unrelated to the presence of symptoms, patient age, and low-value cycle threshold of patient's test. This study supports the evidence for the environmental shedding of SARS-CoV-2 until at least 7 days after symptom onset. It emphasizes the need for strict compliance with contact precautions, hand hygiene, the correct use of personal protective equipment and room disinfection for the routine care of patients with COVID-19.
严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2（SARS-CoV-2）的传播可通过与感染者的直接、间接或密切接触发生。然而，环境污染的程度尚不清楚。患者症状与 SARS-CoV-2 环境脱落之间的关系性质尚不清楚。本研究旨在评估患者 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）状态与环境污染物之间的关系。
在 2020 年 5 月至 11 月期间，对临床或生物学诊断为 COVID-19 的患者，在症状出现后第 7 天进行房间消毒前后，从每个房间采集 12 个表面的环境拭子。使用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）对 SARS-CoV-2 进行样品分析检测[SARS-CoV-2 R 基因（生物梅里埃，马西勒埃托勒，法国）]。从临床软件中收集临床数据（发病日、症状、RT-PCR 结果）。
本研究纳入了 5 个医疗单位。在 13 个房间采集的 156 个样本中，有 5 个房间（38.5%）的 11 个样本 SARS-CoV-2 呈阳性。这些阳性样本在 8 个不同的表面上被检测到。SARS-CoV-2 的检测与患者年龄（P=1）或患者症状（P=0.3）之间无相关性。
COVID-19 期间的病毒脱落似乎与症状的出现、患者年龄和患者检测的低循环阈值无关。本研究支持了 SARS-CoV-2 可在症状出现后至少 7 天环境中脱落的证据。它强调了严格遵守接触预防措施、手部卫生、正确使用个人防护设备和对 COVID-19 患者进行常规护理时的房间消毒的必要性。
