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Risks of Infection with SARS-CoV-2 Due to Contaminated Surfaces: A Scoping Review

Author

Listed:
  • Marjan Mohamadi

    (Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)

  • Awa Babington-Ashaye

    (Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)

  • Agnès Lefort

    (Service de Médecine Interne, Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy and IAME, UMR1137, INSERM and Université de Paris, 75006 Paris, France)

  • Antoine Flahault

    (Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland)

Abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak is a global health concern. Understanding the transmission modes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is key to limit the spread of the pandemic. A lack of knowledge about the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and infection through contaminated surfaces is noticeable and recent studies have stated conflicting findings. This scoping review aims to understand the risks of contaminations via fomites better. Relevant publications were selected through Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane Library, with related keywords. PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed. Out of the 565 articles found, exclusion criteria were applied, duplicates removed, and a total of 25 articles were finally included in the study. The included documents were assessed by the contamination risk: “low” (37.5%), “high” (16.7%), “plausible” (8.3%), “unlikely” (8.3%) risk, and “insufficient evidence” (29.2%). Research in hospital settings was found as the main setting in the reviewed papers, which precisely indicated the risk of contaminated surfaces. This scoping review underscores the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection via contaminated surfaces assessed as low in the majority of the reviewed articles. Further evaluation of the risk of the virus transmission by fomites and providing adequate information on its infectivity via contaminated surfaces in real-life conditions is essential.

Suggested Citation

  • Marjan Mohamadi & Awa Babington-Ashaye & Agnès Lefort & Antoine Flahault, 2021. "Risks of Infection with SARS-CoV-2 Due to Contaminated Surfaces: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-15, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11019-:d:660583
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Lara Moeller & Florian Wallburg & Felix Kaule & Stephan Schoenfelder, 2022. "Numerical Flow Simulation on the Virus Spread of SARS-CoV-2 Due to Airborne Transmission in a Classroom," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-19, May.
    2. Amanda M. Wilson & Irene Mussio & Susan Chilton & Lynn B. Gerald & Rachael M. Jones & Frank A. Drews & Judy S. LaKind & Paloma I. Beamer, 2022. "A Novel Application of Risk–Risk Tradeoffs in Occupational Health: Nurses’ Occupational Asthma and Infection Risk Perceptions Related to Cleaning and Disinfection during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-14, December.

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