Robat Rosnawati Muhammad, Nazakat Raheel, Rashid Siti Aishah, Ismail Rohaida, Hasni Nurul Amalina Khairul, Mohamad Nadia, Nik Hassan Nik Muhammad Nizam, Pahrol Muhammad Alfatih, Suppiah Jeyanthi, Suib Fatin Amirah, Rajendran Kamesh, Shaharudin Rafiza
Environmental Health Research Centre, Institute for Medical Research, National Institutes of Health, Shah Alam, 40170, Malaysia.
Occupational and Environmental Health Unit, Public Health Division, Selangor State Health Department, Shah Alam, Shah Alam, 40100, Malaysia.
Sci Rep. 2025 Feb 28;15(1):7192. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-91566-z.
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant global threats, as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is primarily transmitted through airborne droplets and bioaerosols. Healthcare workers are particularly at high risk, yet there is limited research on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in bioaerosols within healthcare facilities in Malaysia. This study aimed to determine the presence and viability of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants of concern in the air and ventilation systems of designated COVID-19 facilities from December 2021 to February 2022. Samples were collected from two hospitals and one quarantine centre (QC), including medical wards, intensive care units, emergency departments, and QC halls. Air samples were obtained using air samplers, while surface samples were taken from return air grilles. SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) and its variants were detected using reverse transcription droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (RT-ddPCR) and PCR-based genotyping, respectively. Results showed that Hospital A had a higher rate (24.6%) of positive samples than Hospital B (8.8%). Surface samples had a higher positivity rate (50.0%) compared to air samples (8.3%). The detected variants included delta (34.7%), a mixture of delta and omicron (8.7%), non-variant of concern (non-VOC) (8.7%), and omicron (4.3%). This study emphasizes the need for strict airborne infection control measures for healthcare workers.
2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行已造成重大的全球威胁，因为严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）主要通过飞沫和气溶胶传播。医护人员面临的风险尤其高，然而，关于马来西亚医疗机构生物气溶胶中SARS-CoV-2存在情况的研究却很有限。本研究旨在确定2021年12月至2022年2月期间指定COVID-19设施的空气和通风系统中SARS-CoV-2及其关注变种的存在情况和生存能力。样本采集自两家医院和一个检疫中心（QC），包括医疗病房、重症监护病房、急诊科和检疫中心大厅。使用空气采样器采集空气样本，同时从回风格栅采集表面样本。分别使用逆转录液滴数字聚合酶链反应（RT-ddPCR）和基于PCR的基因分型检测SARS-CoV-2核糖核酸（RNA）及其变种。结果显示，医院A的阳性样本率（24.6%）高于医院B（8.8%）。与空气样本（8.3%）相比，表面样本的阳性率更高（50.0%）。检测到的变种包括德尔塔（34.7%）、德尔塔和奥密克戎混合变种（8.7%）、非关注变种（non-VOC）（8.7%）和奥密克戎（4.3%）。本研究强调医护人员需要采取严格的空气传播感染控制措施。
