Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trains

Given the widespread concern but general lack of information over the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection in public transport, key issues such as passenger personal hygiene, efficient air circulation systems, and the effective disinfection of frequently touched surfaces need to be evaluated to educa...

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Autores: Moreno, Teresa, Pintó Solé, Rosa María, Bosch, Albert, Moreno, Natalia, Alastuey, Andrés, Minguillón, María Cruz, Anfruns-Estrada, Eduard, Guix Arnau, Susana, Fuentes Pardo, Cristina, Buonanno, Giorgio, Stabile, Luca, Morawska, Lidia, Querol, Xavier
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/173507
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/173507
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:SARS-CoV-2
Transport públic
Aerosols
Local transit
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spelling Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trainsMoreno, TeresaPintó Solé, Rosa MaríaBosch, AlbertMoreno, NataliaAlastuey, AndrésMinguillón, María CruzAnfruns-Estrada, EduardGuix Arnau, SusanaFuentes Pardo, CristinaBuonanno, GiorgioStabile, LucaMorawska, LidiaQuerol, XavierSARS-CoV-2Transport públicAerosolsSARS-CoV-2Local transitAerosolsGiven the widespread concern but general lack of information over the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection in public transport, key issues such as passenger personal hygiene, efficient air circulation systems, and the effective disinfection of frequently touched surfaces need to be evaluated to educate the public and diminish the risk of viral transmission as we learn to live with the ongoing pandemic. In this context we report on a study involving the collection of 99 samples taken from inside Barcelona buses and subway trains in May to July 2020. From this sample group 82 (58 surface swabs, 9 air conditioning (a/c) filters, 3 a/c dust, 12 ambient air) were selected to be analysed by RT-PCR for traces of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Thirty of these selected samples showed evidence for one or more of 3 target RNA gene regions specific for this virus (IP2, IP4, E). Most (24) of these 30 samples showed positivity for only 1 of the 3 RNA targets, 4 samples yielded 2 targets, and 2 samples provided evidence for all 3 targets. RNA remnants were more common in surface swabs from support bars (23 out of 58) than in ambient air inside the vehicles (3 out of 12), with relatively higher concentrations of viral RNA fragments in buses rather than in trains. Whereas subway train a/c filters examined were all virus-free, 4 of the 9 bus a/c filter/dust samples yielded evidence for viral RNA. After nocturnal maintenance and cleaning most buses initially yielding positive results subsequently showed elimination of the RT-PCR signal, although signs of viral RNA remained in 4 of 13 initially positive samples. The presence of such remnant viral traces however does not demonstrate infectivity, which in the present study is considered unlikely given the fragmentary nature of the gene targets detected. Nevertheless, best practice demands that close attention to ventilation systems and regular vehicle disinfection in public transport worldwide need to be rigorously applied to be effective at eliminating traces of the virus throughout the vehicle, especially at times when COVID-19 cases are peaking. Additionally, infectivity tests should be implemented to evaluate the efficiency of disinfection procedures to complement the information resulting from RT-PCR analysis. Modelling the probability of infection whilst travelling in buses under different scenarios indicates that forced ventilation greatly reduces the risk.Elsevier Ltd2020info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/173507Articles publicats en revistes (Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística)reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UBinstname:Universidad de BarcelonaInglésVersió postprint del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106326Environment International, 2020, vol. 147, p. 106326https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106326cc-by-nc-nd (c) Elsevier Ltd, 2020http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/esinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/1735072026-05-27T06:46:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trains
title Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trains
spellingShingle Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trains
Moreno, Teresa
SARS-CoV-2
Transport públic
Aerosols
SARS-CoV-2
Local transit
Aerosols
title_short Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trains
title_full Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trains
title_fullStr Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trains
title_full_unstemmed Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trains
title_sort Tracing surface and airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA inside public buses and subway trains
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Moreno, Teresa
Pintó Solé, Rosa María
Bosch, Albert
Moreno, Natalia
Alastuey, Andrés
Minguillón, María Cruz
Anfruns-Estrada, Eduard
Guix Arnau, Susana
Fuentes Pardo, Cristina
Buonanno, Giorgio
Stabile, Luca
Morawska, Lidia
Querol, Xavier
author Moreno, Teresa
author_facet Moreno, Teresa
Pintó Solé, Rosa María
Bosch, Albert
Moreno, Natalia
Alastuey, Andrés
Minguillón, María Cruz
Anfruns-Estrada, Eduard
Guix Arnau, Susana
Fuentes Pardo, Cristina
Buonanno, Giorgio
Stabile, Luca
Morawska, Lidia
Querol, Xavier
author_role author
author2 Pintó Solé, Rosa María
Bosch, Albert
Moreno, Natalia
Alastuey, Andrés
Minguillón, María Cruz
Anfruns-Estrada, Eduard
Guix Arnau, Susana
Fuentes Pardo, Cristina
Buonanno, Giorgio
Stabile, Luca
Morawska, Lidia
Querol, Xavier
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv SARS-CoV-2
Transport públic
Aerosols
SARS-CoV-2
Local transit
Aerosols
topic SARS-CoV-2
Transport públic
Aerosols
SARS-CoV-2
Local transit
Aerosols
description Given the widespread concern but general lack of information over the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection in public transport, key issues such as passenger personal hygiene, efficient air circulation systems, and the effective disinfection of frequently touched surfaces need to be evaluated to educate the public and diminish the risk of viral transmission as we learn to live with the ongoing pandemic. In this context we report on a study involving the collection of 99 samples taken from inside Barcelona buses and subway trains in May to July 2020. From this sample group 82 (58 surface swabs, 9 air conditioning (a/c) filters, 3 a/c dust, 12 ambient air) were selected to be analysed by RT-PCR for traces of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Thirty of these selected samples showed evidence for one or more of 3 target RNA gene regions specific for this virus (IP2, IP4, E). Most (24) of these 30 samples showed positivity for only 1 of the 3 RNA targets, 4 samples yielded 2 targets, and 2 samples provided evidence for all 3 targets. RNA remnants were more common in surface swabs from support bars (23 out of 58) than in ambient air inside the vehicles (3 out of 12), with relatively higher concentrations of viral RNA fragments in buses rather than in trains. Whereas subway train a/c filters examined were all virus-free, 4 of the 9 bus a/c filter/dust samples yielded evidence for viral RNA. After nocturnal maintenance and cleaning most buses initially yielding positive results subsequently showed elimination of the RT-PCR signal, although signs of viral RNA remained in 4 of 13 initially positive samples. The presence of such remnant viral traces however does not demonstrate infectivity, which in the present study is considered unlikely given the fragmentary nature of the gene targets detected. Nevertheless, best practice demands that close attention to ventilation systems and regular vehicle disinfection in public transport worldwide need to be rigorously applied to be effective at eliminating traces of the virus throughout the vehicle, especially at times when COVID-19 cases are peaking. Additionally, infectivity tests should be implemented to evaluate the efficiency of disinfection procedures to complement the information resulting from RT-PCR analysis. Modelling the probability of infection whilst travelling in buses under different scenarios indicates that forced ventilation greatly reduces the risk.
publishDate 2020
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2020
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
format article
status_str acceptedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/173507
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/173507
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Versió postprint del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106326
Environment International, 2020, vol. 147, p. 106326
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106326
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv cc-by-nc-nd (c) Elsevier Ltd, 2020
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv cc-by-nc-nd (c) Elsevier Ltd, 2020
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier Ltd
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier Ltd
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística)
reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
instname:Universidad de Barcelona
instname_str Universidad de Barcelona
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de la UB
collection Dipòsit Digital de la UB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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