Abstract
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is a primary global concern, and data are lacking concerning risk of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) environmental contamination.
Objective To identify risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination in COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).
Methods A prospective single centre 1-day study was carried out in an ICU. Four surfaces (the ventilator control screen, the control buttons of the syringe pump, the bed rails and the computer table located >1 m away from the patient) were systematically swabbed at least 8 h after any cleaning process. We analysed clinical, microbiological and radiological data to identify risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination.
Results 40% of ICU patients were found to contaminate their environment. No particular trend emerged regarding the type of surface contaminated. Modality of oxygen support (high-flow nasal cannula oxygenation, invasive mechanical ventilation, standard oxygen mask) was not associated with the risk of environmental contamination. Univariate analysis showed that lymphopenia <0.7×109·L−1 was associated with environmental contamination.
Conclusion Despite small sample size, our study generated surprising results. Modality of oxygen support is not associated with risk of environmental contamination. Further studies are needed.
Abstract
Environmental contamination due to #SARSCoV2 occurs in 40% of ICU patient rooms. No difference is observed between different modalities of oxygen support (high-flow nasal cannula oxygenation, invasive mechanical ventilation, standard oxygen mask). https://bit.ly/3kgxTKx
Footnotes
AIRMIC study group: Jean-Ralph Zahar, Etienne Carbonnelle, Yacine Tandjaoui-Lambiotte, Frédéric Le Gal (Clinical Microbiology Dept, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Bobigny, France), Frédéric Mechai (Infectious and Tropical Diseases Dept, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Bobigny, France), Typhaine Billard-Pomares (Clinical Microbiology Dept, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Bobigny, France), Alexandra Lomont, Chakib Alloui, Nerville-Emmanuel Gordien (Clinical Microbiology Dept, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Bobigny, France), Olivier Bouchaud, Johann Cailhol (Clinical Microbiology Dept, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Bobigny, France), Sophie Brun (Parasitology department, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Bobigny, France), Athenaïs Gerber and Paul Deny (both Clinical Microbiology Dept, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Seine-Saint-Denis, Bobigny, France).
Conflict of interest: A. Lomont has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M. Boubaya has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: W. Khamis has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: A. Deslandes has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: H. Cordel has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: D. Seytre has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: C. Alloui has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: C. Malaure has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: N. Bonnet has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: E. Carbonnelle has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Y. Cohen has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: H. Nunes has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: O. Bouchaud has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: J-R. Zahar has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Y. Tandjaoui-Lambiotte has nothing to disclose.
- Received August 24, 2020.
- Accepted September 7, 2020.
- Copyright ©ERS 2020
This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Licence 4.0.