Unknown

Dataset Information

0

SARS-CoV-2 in hospital indoor environments is predominantly non-infectious.


ABSTRACT:

Background

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has spread rapidly worldwide and disease prevention is more important than ever. In the absence of a vaccine, knowledge of the transmission routes and risk areas of infection remain the most important existing tools to prevent further spread.

Methods

Here we investigated the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the hospital environment at the Uppsala University Hospital Infectious Disease ward by RT-qPCR and determined the infectivity of the detected virus in vitro on Vero E6 cells.

Results

SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in several areas, although attempts to infect Vero E6 cells with positive samples were unsuccessful. However, RNase A treatment of positive samples prior to RNA extraction did not degrade viral RNA, indicating the presence of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsids or complete virus particles protecting the RNA as opposed to free viral RNA.

Conclusion

Our results show that even in places where a moderate concentration (Ct values between 30 and 38) of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found; no infectious virus could be detected. This suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the hospital environment subsides in two states; as infectious and as non-infectious. Future work should investigate the reasons for the non-infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 virions.

SUBMITTER: Krambrich J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8170062 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

Similar Datasets

| S-EPMC9301582 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC9980870 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC8316642 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC8132549 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC8486635 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC8005746 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC10166632 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC9011577 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC9172255 | biostudies-literature
| S-EPMC7821173 | biostudies-literature