Evaluation of SARS-COV-2 transmission through indoor air in hospitals and prevention methods: A systematic review

Zahra Aghalari; Hans-Uwe Dahms; Juan Eduardo Sosa-Hernandez; Mariel A Oyervides-Muñoz; Roberto Parra-Saldívar

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2021.110841

Evaluation of SARS-COV-2 transmission through indoor air in hospitals and prevention methods: A systematic review

Environ Res. 2021 Apr:195:110841. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110841. Epub 2021 Feb 4.

Authors

Zahra Aghalari¹, Hans-Uwe Dahms², Juan Eduardo Sosa-Hernandez³, Mariel A Oyervides-Muñoz⁴, Roberto Parra-Saldívar⁵

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Public Health, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. Electronic address: z.aghalari@gmail.com.
² Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Research Center for Environmental Medicine, KMU - Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan. Electronic address: hudahms11@gmail.com.
³ Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico. Electronic address: eduardo.sosa@tec.mx.
⁴ Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico. Electronic address: mariel.oyervides@tec.mx.
⁵ Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Monterrey, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, CP 64849, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico. Electronic address: r.parra@tec.mx.

Abstract

Hospitals are the places for COVID-19 treatment but on the other hand, they are a dangerous source for SARS-COV-2 transmission. If we assume that the SARS-COV-2 is transmitted by air to hospitals, what are the strategies to reduce the SARS-COV-2 transmission and its removal? Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate SARS-COV-2 transmission through indoor air in hospitals and its prevention methods.This study is a systematic review by searching among published articles in reputable international databases such as Scopus, Google scholar, PubMed, Science Direct and ISI (Web of Science). Data were collected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and by searching for relevant keywords. Qualitative data were collected using the PRISMA standard checklist. Information was entered into the checklist, such as the name of the first author, the year of the study publication, the country, the type of study, the number of samples, the type of air sample, the results, the methods for SARS-COV-2 transmission prevention in the hospital. After reviewing the information and quality of articles, 11 articles were included in this study. An analysis of the articles showed that Asian countries (Iran, China, Singapore) were more concerned with the SARS-COV-2 transmission through hospital air. Four articles did not confirm SARS-COV-2 in the air, but seven articles reported the SARS-COV-2 from air samples. The results of this study showed that many factors could affect the positive or negative SARS-COV-2 detection in the air, such as environmental conditions in hospitals, sampling methods, sampling height and distance from patients, flow rate and sampling time, efficiency and functionality of ventilation systems, use of disinfectants.Therefore, due to the possibility of SARS-COV-2 in the air of hospitals, preventive measures should be taken such as physical distance, personal hygiene, ventilation, and air filtration. We hope that this research will help to reduce the transmission of SARS-COV-2 and cut the airborne transmission pathway of SARS-COV-2 in hospitals.

Keywords: Hospital; Indoor air pollution; Prevention; SARS-COV-2; Systematic review.

Publication types

Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Air Pollution, Indoor*
Asia
COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
China
Hospitals
Humans
Iran
SARS-CoV-2