Truyols-Vives Joan, Escarrer-Garau Gabriel, Arbona-González Laura, Toledo-Pons Núria, Sauleda-Roig Jaume, Ferrer Miguel David, Fraile-Ribot Pablo Arturo, Doménech-Sánchez Antonio, García-Baldoví Herme, Sala-Llinàs Ernest, Colom-Fernández Antoni, Mercader-Barceló Josep
Molecular Biology, Health Geography, and One Health Research Group (MolONE), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma 07122, Spain.
Molecular Biology, Health Geography, and One Health Research Group (MolONE), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma 07122, Spain; iRespire Research Group, Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands, Palma 07020, Spain.
J Infect Public Health. 2025 Aug;18(8):102785. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2025.102785. Epub 2025 Apr 22.
Understanding the COVID-19 patient characteristics that impact environmental SARS-CoV-2 load is essential for improving infection risk management. In this study, we analyzed the influence of patient variables on airborne SARS-CoV-2 genome detection.
Sixty-nine COVID-19 patients were recruited across three independent studies with airborne SARS-CoV-2 genome assessed in individual hospital rooms using droplet digital PCR.
In the bivariate analysis, the odds of airborne SARS-CoV-2 detection were significantly higher for patients with obesity, chronic respiratory diseases, pneumonia at admission, sampling, and discharge, and lower lymphocytes count. No significant associations were found between airborne SARS-CoV-2 detection and symptoms presence or duration, nor with the results of the most recent positive nasopharyngeal PCR test prior to air sampling. In the multivariate analysis, the best-fit model included patient age, type of admission, and symptoms duration. Patient age significantly contributed to the risk of airborne SARS-CoV-2 detection in the multivariate analysis.
Our findings highlight the variability in individual responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and suggest that factors linked to COVID-19 severity, symptomatology, and immunocompetence influence the airborne SARS-CoV-2 detection. Our results may support the development of more precise preventive measures in healthcare settings.
了解影响环境中严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）载量的新冠肺炎患者特征对于改善感染风险管理至关重要。在本研究中，我们分析了患者变量对空气中SARS-CoV-2基因组检测的影响。
在三项独立研究中招募了69名新冠肺炎患者，使用液滴数字PCR在各个病房评估空气中的SARS-CoV-2基因组。
在双变量分析中，肥胖、慢性呼吸道疾病、入院时、采样时和出院时患有肺炎以及淋巴细胞计数较低的患者，空气中检测到SARS-CoV-2的几率显著更高。在空气中SARS-CoV-2检测与症状的存在或持续时间之间，以及与空气采样前最近一次鼻咽PCR检测阳性结果之间均未发现显著关联。在多变量分析中，最佳拟合模型包括患者年龄、入院类型和症状持续时间。在多变量分析中，患者年龄对空气中SARS-CoV-2检测风险有显著影响。
我们的研究结果突出了个体对SARS-CoV-2感染反应的变异性，并表明与新冠肺炎严重程度、症状学和免疫能力相关的因素会影响空气中SARS-CoV-2的检测。我们的结果可能支持在医疗机构制定更精确的预防措施。
