Surfaces and equipment contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the emergency department at a university hospital

doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113600

. 2020 Sep:230:113600.

doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113600. Epub 2020 Aug 7.

Surfaces and equipment contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the emergency department at a university hospital

Collaborators, Affiliations

Collaborators

Saint-Louis CORE (COvid REsearch) group:
Y Achili, L Ades, L Aguinaga, G Archer, A Benattia, B Bercot, A Bergeron, R Bertinchamp, L Bondeelle, J D Bouaziz, D Bouda, D Boutboul, I Brindel Berthon, E Brugnet, S Caillat Zucman, S Cassonnet, K Celli Lebras, J Chabert, M L Chaix, S Chevret, M Clément, C Davoine, N De Castro, E De Kerviler, C De Margerie-Mellon, F Depret, B Denis, L Djaghout, C Dupin, D Farge-Blancel, C Fauvaux, H Fenaux, E Feredj, D Feyeux, V Fremeaux-Bacchi, L Galicier, J Garestier, S Harel, A L Jegu, E Kozakiewicz, A Lebel M Baye, P Le Guen, E Lengline, G Liegeon, G Lorillon, I Madelaine Chambrin, G Martin de Frémont, S Maylin, C Mehlman, M Meunier, J M Molina, F Morin, E Oksenhendler, R Peffault de la Tour, B Plaud, M Rouveau, J Saussereau, N Schnepf, J Soret, A Tazi, M T Tremorin

Affiliations

¹ Emergency Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: olivier.peyrony@aphp.fr.
² Emergency Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: sami.ellouze@aphp.fr.
³ Emergency Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: jean-paul.fontaine@aphp.fr.
⁴ Infection Control Team, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: micheline.thegat@aphp.fr.
⁵ Université de Paris, Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, INSERM U976, Paris, France. Electronic address: maud.salmona@aphp.fr.
⁶ Université de Paris, Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, INSERM U944, Paris, France. Electronic address: linda.feghoul@aphp.fr.
⁷ Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: nadia.mahjoub@aphp.fr.
⁸ Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: severine.mercier-delarue@aphp.fr.
⁹ Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: audrey.gabassi@aphp.fr.
¹⁰ Université de Paris, Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, INSERM U944, Paris, France. Electronic address: constance.delaugerre@aphp.fr.
¹¹ Université de Paris, Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, INSERM U976, Paris, France. Electronic address: jerome.le-goff@aphp.fr.

PMID: 32799101
PMCID: PMC7413114
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113600

Surfaces and equipment contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the emergency department at a university hospital

Olivier Peyrony et al. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2020 Sep.

. 2020 Sep:230:113600.

doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113600. Epub 2020 Aug 7.

Collaborators

Saint-Louis CORE (COvid REsearch) group:
Y Achili, L Ades, L Aguinaga, G Archer, A Benattia, B Bercot, A Bergeron, R Bertinchamp, L Bondeelle, J D Bouaziz, D Bouda, D Boutboul, I Brindel Berthon, E Brugnet, S Caillat Zucman, S Cassonnet, K Celli Lebras, J Chabert, M L Chaix, S Chevret, M Clément, C Davoine, N De Castro, E De Kerviler, C De Margerie-Mellon, F Depret, B Denis, L Djaghout, C Dupin, D Farge-Blancel, C Fauvaux, H Fenaux, E Feredj, D Feyeux, V Fremeaux-Bacchi, L Galicier, J Garestier, S Harel, A L Jegu, E Kozakiewicz, A Lebel M Baye, P Le Guen, E Lengline, G Liegeon, G Lorillon, I Madelaine Chambrin, G Martin de Frémont, S Maylin, C Mehlman, M Meunier, J M Molina, F Morin, E Oksenhendler, R Peffault de la Tour, B Plaud, M Rouveau, J Saussereau, N Schnepf, J Soret, A Tazi, M T Tremorin

Affiliations

¹ Emergency Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: olivier.peyrony@aphp.fr.
² Emergency Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: sami.ellouze@aphp.fr.
³ Emergency Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: jean-paul.fontaine@aphp.fr.
⁴ Infection Control Team, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: micheline.thegat@aphp.fr.
⁵ Université de Paris, Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, INSERM U976, Paris, France. Electronic address: maud.salmona@aphp.fr.
⁶ Université de Paris, Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, INSERM U944, Paris, France. Electronic address: linda.feghoul@aphp.fr.
⁷ Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: nadia.mahjoub@aphp.fr.
⁸ Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: severine.mercier-delarue@aphp.fr.
⁹ Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. Electronic address: audrey.gabassi@aphp.fr.
¹⁰ Université de Paris, Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, INSERM U944, Paris, France. Electronic address: constance.delaugerre@aphp.fr.
¹¹ Université de Paris, Virology Department, Saint-Louis Hospital, AP-HP, INSERM U976, Paris, France. Electronic address: jerome.le-goff@aphp.fr.

PMID: 32799101
PMCID: PMC7413114
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113600

Abstract

Objectives: Environmental contamination by patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) through respiratory droplets suggests that surfaces and equipment could be a medium of transmission. We aimed to assess the surface and equipment contamination by SARS-COV-2 of an emergency department (ED) during the coronavirus infectious disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

Methods: We performed multiple samples from different sites in ED patients care and non-patient care areas with sterile premoistened swabs and used real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA). We also sampled the personal protective equipment (PPE) from health care workers (HCWs).

Results: Among the 192 total samples, 10 (5.2%) were positive. In patient care areas, 5/46 (10.9%) of the surfaces directly in contact with COVID-19 patients revealed the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and 4/56 (7.1%) of the surfaces that were not directly in contact with COVID-19 patients were positive. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was present only in the patients' examination and monitoring rooms. Before decontamination SARS-CoV-2 RNA was present on the saturation clip, the scuff for blood pressure measurement, the stretcher, the plastic screens between patients and the floor. After decontamination, SARS-CoV-2 RNA remained on the scuff, the stretcher and the trolleys. All samples from non-patient care areas or staff working rooms were negative. Only one sample from the PPE of the HCWs was positive.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that surfaces and equipment contamination by SARS-CoV-2 RNA in an ED during the COVID-19 outbreak is low and concerns exclusively patients' examination and monitoring rooms, preserving non-patient care areas.

Keywords: COVID-19; Contamination; Emergency department; Equipment; SARS-CoV-2; Surfaces.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare no potential conflict of interest related to the study.

Figures

**Fig. 1**
Emergency Department and Short Stay Unit layout *COVID-19* coronavirus infectious disease 2019, ED Emergency Department, *SSU* Short Stay Unit.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

1. Colaneri M., Seminari E., Novati S. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA contamination of inanimate surfaces and virus viability in a health care emergency unit. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 2020;22 doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.05.009. S1198-743X(20)30286-X, Online ahead of print. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Dexter F., Parra M.C., Brown J.R., Loftus R.W. Perioperative COVID-19 defense: an evidence-based approach for optimization of infection control and operating room management. Anesth. Analg. 2020 doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000004829. (in press) - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Guo Z.D., Wang Z.Y., Zhang S.F. Aerosol and surface distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in hospital wards, Wuhan, China, 2020. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2020 doi: 10.3201/eid2607.200885. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331058/WHO-2019-nCoV-En...
1. Jones R.M. Relative contributions of transmission routes for COVID-19 among healthcare personnel providing patient care. J. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 2020:1–8. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2020.1784427. Online ahead of print. - DOI - PubMed

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[1] Colaneri M., Seminari E., Novati S. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA contamination of inanimate surfaces and virus viability in a health care emergency unit. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 2020;22 doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.05.009. S1198-743X(20)30286-X, Online ahead of print. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Colaneri M., Seminari E., Novati S. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA contamination of inanimate surfaces and virus viability in a health care emergency unit. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 2020;22 doi: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.05.009. S1198-743X(20)30286-X, Online ahead of print. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Dexter F., Parra M.C., Brown J.R., Loftus R.W. Perioperative COVID-19 defense: an evidence-based approach for optimization of infection control and operating room management. Anesth. Analg. 2020 doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000004829. (in press) - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Dexter F., Parra M.C., Brown J.R., Loftus R.W. Perioperative COVID-19 defense: an evidence-based approach for optimization of infection control and operating room management. Anesth. Analg. 2020 doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000004829. (in press) - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Guo Z.D., Wang Z.Y., Zhang S.F. Aerosol and surface distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in hospital wards, Wuhan, China, 2020. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2020 doi: 10.3201/eid2607.200885. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Guo Z.D., Wang Z.Y., Zhang S.F. Aerosol and surface distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in hospital wards, Wuhan, China, 2020. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2020 doi: 10.3201/eid2607.200885. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331058/WHO-2019-nCoV-En...

[8] https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331058/WHO-2019-nCoV-En...

[9] Jones R.M. Relative contributions of transmission routes for COVID-19 among healthcare personnel providing patient care. J. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 2020:1–8. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2020.1784427. Online ahead of print. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Jones R.M. Relative contributions of transmission routes for COVID-19 among healthcare personnel providing patient care. J. Occup. Environ. Hyg. 2020:1–8. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2020.1784427. Online ahead of print. - DOI - PubMed

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Surfaces and equipment contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the emergency department at a university hospital

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Surfaces and equipment contamination by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the emergency department at a university hospital

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