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SARS-CoV-2 analysis on environmental surfaces collected in an intensive care unit. Keeping Ernest Shackleton´s spirit.
Jose Antonio Boga
Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5500-9972
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at Intensive Care Medicine Experimental.
Background: Intensive care unit workers are at high risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection, especially when performing invasive techniques and certain procedures that generate aerosols (<5 µm). Therefore, one of the objectives of the health systems should implement safety practices to minimize the risk of contagion among these health professionals. Monitoring environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 may help to determine the potential of the environment as a transmission medium in an area highly exposed to SARS-CoV-2, such as an intensive care unit. The objective of the study was to analyze the environmental contamination by SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces collected in an intensive care unit, which is dedicated exclusively to the care of patients with COVID-19 and equipped with negative pressure of -10 pascals and an air change rate of 20 cycles per hour. Furthermore, all ICU workers were tested for COVID-19 by quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA methods.
Results: A total of 102 samples (72 collected with pre-moistened swabs used for collection of nasopharyngeal exudates and 30 with moistened wipes used in the environmental microbiological control of the food industry) were obtained from ventilators, monitors, perfusion pumps, bed rails, lab benches, containers of personal protective equipment, computer keyboards and mice, telephones, workers' shoes, floor and other areas of close contact with COVID-19 patients and healthcare professionals who cared for them. The analysis by quantitative RT-PCR showed no detection of SARS-CoV-2 genome in environmental samples collected by any of the two methods described. Furthermore, none of the ICU workers was infected by the virus.
Conclusions: Presence of SARS-CoV-2 on the ICU surfaces could not be determined supporting that a strict cleaning protocol with sodium hypochlorite, a high air change rate and a negative pressure in the ICU are effective in preventing environmental contamination. These facts together with the protection measures used could also explain the absence of contagion among staff inside ICUs.
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, ICU, ICU environmental contamination
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 2
Posted 28 Sep, 2020
Published
On 23 Nov, 2020
No community comments so far
Review #1 received
Received 30 Sep, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 30 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 29 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 28 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 26 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 26 Sep, 2020
Editor assigned
On 21 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 20 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 20 Sep, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 06 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 20 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 20 Aug, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 20 Aug, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 20 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 13 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 13 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 12 Aug, 2020
First submitted
On 11 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 11 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 11 Aug, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
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HTML Views: ...
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This preprint is under consideration at Intensive Care Medicine Experimental. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
SARS-CoV-2 analysis on environmental surfaces collected in an intensive care unit. Keeping Ernest Shackleton´s spirit.
Jose Antonio Boga
Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5500-9972
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 2
Posted 28 Sep, 2020
Published
On 23 Nov, 2020
No community comments so far
Review #1 received
Received 30 Sep, 2020
Editorial decision: Accept
On 30 Sep, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 29 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 28 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 26 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 26 Sep, 2020
Editor assigned
On 21 Sep, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 20 Sep, 2020
Editor invited
On 20 Sep, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 06 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 20 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 20 Aug, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 20 Aug, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 20 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 13 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 13 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 12 Aug, 2020
First submitted
On 11 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 11 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 11 Aug, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published version at Intensive Care Medicine Experimental.
Background: Intensive care unit workers are at high risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection, especially when performing invasive techniques and certain procedures that generate aerosols (<5 µm). Therefore, one of the objectives of the health systems should implement safety practices to minimize the risk of contagion among these health professionals. Monitoring environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 may help to determine the potential of the environment as a transmission medium in an area highly exposed to SARS-CoV-2, such as an intensive care unit. The objective of the study was to analyze the environmental contamination by SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces collected in an intensive care unit, which is dedicated exclusively to the care of patients with COVID-19 and equipped with negative pressure of -10 pascals and an air change rate of 20 cycles per hour. Furthermore, all ICU workers were tested for COVID-19 by quantitative RT-PCR and ELISA methods.
Results: A total of 102 samples (72 collected with pre-moistened swabs used for collection of nasopharyngeal exudates and 30 with moistened wipes used in the environmental microbiological control of the food industry) were obtained from ventilators, monitors, perfusion pumps, bed rails, lab benches, containers of personal protective equipment, computer keyboards and mice, telephones, workers' shoes, floor and other areas of close contact with COVID-19 patients and healthcare professionals who cared for them. The analysis by quantitative RT-PCR showed no detection of SARS-CoV-2 genome in environmental samples collected by any of the two methods described. Furthermore, none of the ICU workers was infected by the virus.
Conclusions: Presence of SARS-CoV-2 on the ICU surfaces could not be determined supporting that a strict cleaning protocol with sodium hypochlorite, a high air change rate and a negative pressure in the ICU are effective in preventing environmental contamination. These facts together with the protection measures used could also explain the absence of contagion among staff inside ICUs.
Figure 1
Figure 2