University of Iowa, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Iowa City, Iowa.
Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2024 Feb;45(2):221-226. doi: 10.1017/ice.2023.130. Epub 2023 Aug 23.
Patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) aerosolize severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via respiratory efforts, expose, and possibly infect healthcare personnel (HCP). To prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 HCP have been required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) during patient care. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, face shields were used as an approach to control HCP exposure to SARS-CoV-2, including eye protection.
An MS2 bacteriophage was used as a surrogate for SARS-CoV-2 and was aerosolized using a coughing machine. A simulated HCP wearing a disposable plastic face shield was placed 0.41 m (16 inches) away from the coughing machine. The aerosolized virus was sampled using SKC biosamplers on the inside (near the mouth of the simulated HCP) and the outside of the face shield. The aerosolized virus collected by the SKC Biosampler was analyzed using a viability assay. Optical particle counters (OPCs) were placed next to the biosamplers to measure the particle concentration.
There was a statistically significant reduction ( < .0006) in viable virus concentration on the inside of the face shield compared to the outside of the face shield. The particle concentration was significantly lower on the inside of the face shield compared to the outside of the face shield for 12 of the 16 particle sizes measured ( < .05).
Reductions in virus and particle concentrations were observed on the inside of the face shield; however, viable virus was measured on the inside of the face shield, in the breathing zone of the HCP. Therefore, other exposure control methods need to be used to prevent transmission from virus aerosol.
感染 2019 冠状病毒病（COVID-19）的患者通过呼吸活动使严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒 2（SARS-CoV-2）雾化，暴露并可能感染医护人员（HCP）。为防止 SARS-CoV-2 的传播，医护人员在照顾患者时必须佩戴个人防护设备（PPE）。在 COVID-19 大流行早期，面罩被用作控制医护人员接触 SARS-CoV-2 的一种方法，包括眼部保护。
使用 MS2 噬菌体作为 SARS-CoV-2 的替代品，使用咳嗽机使噬菌体雾化。将一个模拟的佩戴一次性塑料面罩的 HCP 放置在距咳嗽机 0.41 米（16 英寸）的地方。使用 SKC 生物采样器在面罩的内部（靠近模拟 HCP 的口部）和外部采集雾化病毒。使用生存能力测定法分析 SKC 生物采样器收集的雾化病毒。将光学粒子计数器（OPC）放置在生物采样器旁边，以测量粒子浓度。
与面罩外部相比，面罩内部的存活病毒浓度有统计学显著降低（<0.0006）。对于测量的 16 个粒径中的 12 个，面罩内部的粒子浓度明显低于面罩外部（<0.05）。
在面罩内部观察到病毒和粒子浓度降低；然而，在 HCP 的呼吸区内的面罩内部仍测量到存活病毒。因此，需要使用其他暴露控制方法来防止病毒气溶胶传播。
