Sponge Whirl-Pak Sampling Method and Droplet Digital RT-PCR Assay for Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 on Surfaces in Public and Working Environments

Davide Cardinale, Maria Tafuro, Andrea Mancusi, Santa Girardi, Federico Capuano, Yolande Thérèse Rose Proroga, Federica Corrado, Jacopo Luigi D’Auria, Annachiara Coppola, Giuseppe Rofrano, Palmiero Volzone, Pio Galdi, Sabato De Vita, Alfonso Gallo, Elisabetta Suffredini, Biancamaria Pierri, Pellegrino Cerino and Maria Morgante
Additional contact information
Davide Cardinale: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Maria Tafuro: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Andrea Mancusi: Department of Food Security Coordination, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Santa Girardi: Department of Food Security Coordination, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Federico Capuano: Department of Food Security Coordination, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Yolande Thérèse Rose Proroga: Department of Food Security Coordination, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Federica Corrado: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Jacopo Luigi D’Auria: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Annachiara Coppola: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Giuseppe Rofrano: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Palmiero Volzone: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Pio Galdi: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Sabato De Vita: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Alfonso Gallo: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Elisabetta Suffredini: Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
Biancamaria Pierri: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Pellegrino Cerino: Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute n. 2, 80055 Portici, Italy
Maria Morgante: Azienda Sanitaria Locale Avellino, 83100 Avellino, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: The SARS-CoV-2 can spread directly via saliva, respiratory aerosols and droplets, and indirectly by contact through contaminated objects and/or surfaces and by air. In the context of COVID-19 fomites can be an important vehicle of virus transmission and contribute to infection risk in public environments. The aim of the study was to analyze through surface sampling (sponge method) the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in public and working environments, in order to evaluate the risk for virus transmission. Seventy-seven environmental samples were taken using sterile sponges in 17 animal farms, 4 public transport buses, 1 supermarket and 1 hotel receptive structure. Furthermore, 246 and 93 swab samples were taken in the farms from animals and from workers, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 detection was conducted by real-time RT-PCR and by digital droplet RT-PCR (dd RT-PCR) using RdRp, gene E and gene N as targets. None of the human and animal swab samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2, while detection was achieved in 20 of the 77 sponge samples (26%) using dd RT-PCR. Traces of the RdRp gene, gene E and gene N were found in 17/77 samples (22%, average concentration 31.2 g.c./cm 2 , range 5.6 to 132 g.c./cm 2 ), 8/77 samples (10%, average concentration 15.1 g.c./cm 2 , range 6 to 36 g.c./cm 2 ), and in 1/77 (1%, concentration 7.2 g.c./cm 2 ). Higher detection rates were associated with sampling in animal farms and on public transport buses (32% and 30%) compared to the supermarket (21%) and the hotel (no detection). The result of the study suggests that the risk of contamination of surfaces with SARS-CoV-2 increases in environments in which sanitation strategies are not suitable and/or in highly frequented locations, such as public transportation. Considering the analytical methods, the dd RT-PCR was the only approach achieving detection of SARS-CoV-2 traces in environmental samples. Thus, dd RT-PCR emerges as a reliable tool for sensitive SARS-CoV-2 detection.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; sponge; surfaces; ddPCR; fomites (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/10/5861/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/10/5861/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:10:p:5861-:d:813444

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().