The ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly on a global scale. Although it is clear that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted through human respiratory droplets and direct contact, the potential for aerosol transmission is poorly understood1–3. Here we investigated the aerodynamic nature of SARS-CoV-2 by measuring viral RNA in aerosols in different areas of two Wuhan hospitals during the outbreak of COVID-19 in February and March 2020. The concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in aerosols that was detected in isolation wards and ventilated patient rooms was very low, but it was higher in the toilet areas used by the patients. Levels of airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the most public areas was undetectable, except in two areas that were prone to crowding; this increase was possibly due to individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the crowd. We found that some medical staff areas initially had high concentrations of viral RNA with aerosol size distributions that showed peaks in the submicrometre and/or supermicrometre regions; however, these levels were reduced to undetectable levels after implementation of rigorous sanitization procedures. Although we have not established the infectivity of the virus detected in these hospital areas, we propose that SARS-CoV-2 may have the potential to be transmitted through aerosols. Our results indicate that room ventilation, open space, sanitization of protective apparel, and proper use and disinfection of toilet areas can effectively limit the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in aerosols. Future work should explore the infectivity of aerosolized virus. Aerodynamic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in two hospitals in Wuhan indicates that SARS-CoV-2 may have the potential to be transmitted through aerosols, although the infectivity of the virus RNA was not established in this study.
This Viewpoint discusses physical and epidemiological evidence supporting droplet vs aerosol transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SA
Understanding the particle size distribution in the air and patterns of environmental contamination of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for infection prevention policies. Here we screen surface and air samples from hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Environmental sampling is conducted in three airborne infection isolation rooms (AIIRs) in the ICU and 27 AIIRs in the general ward. 245 surface samples are collected. 56.7% of rooms have at least one environmental surface contaminated. High touch surface contamination is shown in ten (66.7%) out of 15 patients in the first week of illness, and three (20%) beyond the first week of illness (p = 0.01, χ2 test). Air sampling is performed in three of the 27 AIIRs in the general ward, and detects SARS-CoV-2 PCR-positive particles of sizes >4 µm and 1–4 µm in two rooms, despite these rooms having 12 air changes per hour. This warrants further study of the airborne transmission potential of SARS-CoV-2. Here, the authors sample air and surfaces in hospital rooms of COVID-19 patients, detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in air samples of two of three tested airborne infection isolation rooms, and find surface contamination in 66.7% of tested rooms during the first week of illness and 20% beyond the first week of illness.
Due to the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, medical face masks are widely recommended for a large number of individuals and long durations. The effect of wearing a surg
The Diamond Princess cruise ship was put under quarantine offshore Yokohama, Japan, after a passenger who disembarked in Hong Kong was confirmed as a coronavirus disease 2019 case. We performed whole-genome sequencing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) directly from PCR+ clinical specimens and conducted a phylogenetic analysis of the outbreak. All tested isolates exhibited a transversion at G11083T, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 dissemination on the Diamond Princess originated from a single introduction event before the quarantine started. Although further spreading might have been prevented by quarantine, some progeny clusters could be linked to transmission through mass-gathering events in the recreational areas and direct transmission among passengers who shared cabins during the quarantine. This study demonstrates the usefulness of haplotype network/phylogeny analysis in identifying potential infection routes.
FRIDAY, Sept. 4, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Placing a hospitalized COVID-19 patient in a face down position to ease breathing -- or "proning" -- has steadily gained traction as a pandemic lifesaver. But a small new study warns that it may lead to permanent nerve damage.
Nach ausführlicher Prüfung der präklinischen und klinischen Daten aus den Phase-1/2-Studien und in Absprache mit dem Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) der US-Arzneimittelbehörde FDA und anderen globalen Regulierungsbehörden haben Pfizer und BioNTech beschlossen, einen Impfstoffkandidaten mit einer Dosis von 30 µg in einem 2-Dosis-Schema in die Phase-2/3-Studie zu bringen. Erst vor Kurzem hatte dieser Impfstoffkandidat den Fast-Track-Status der FDA erhalten.
This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the prevalence of reported gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 and of viral RN
Acute kidney injury is a commonly described complication of COVID-19 that has been linked to increased morbidity and mortality. Although severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been found in the kidney,1
the clinical effect remains unclear.2
Here, we present data from a post-mortem series of 63 patients who had SARS-CoV-2 respiratory infection (appendix pp 2–3), linking SARS-CoV-2 renal tropism to clinical outcome and acute kidney injury.
Der Mund-Nasen-Schutz ist eine wirksame Barriere für Viren – aber das Tragen einer solchen Maske hat auch Nachteile: Die Atmung wird dadurch etwa messbar beeinträchtigt, wie eine Untersuchung des Universitätsklinikums Leipzig nachweist.
Study published in Nature shows J&J’s investigational SARS-CoV-2 vaccine elicits a strong immune response that protects against subsequent infection First-in-human Phase 1/2a clinical trial now underway in United States and Belgium; Phase 3 clinical trial expected to commence in September