Abstract
The role of indirect contact in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is not clear. SARS-CoV-2 persists on dry surfaces for hours to days; published studies have largely focused on hard surfaces with less research being conducted on different porous surfaces, such as textiles. Understanding the potential risks of indirect transmission of COVID-19 is useful for settings where there is close contact with textiles, including healthcare, manufacturing and retail environments. This article aims to review current research on porous surfaces in relation to their potential as fomites of coronaviruses compared to non-porous surfaces. Current methodologies for assessing the stability and recovery of coronaviruses from surfaces are also explored. Coronaviruses are often less stable on porous surfaces than non-porous surfaces, for example, SARS-CoV-2 persists for 0.5 h-5 days on paper and 3-21 days on plastic; however, stability is dependent on the type of surface. In particular, the surface properties of textiles differ widely depending on their construction, leading to variation in the stability of coronaviruses, with longer persistence on more hydrophobic materials such as polyester (1-3 days) compared to highly absorbent cotton (2 h-4 days). These findings should be considered where there is close contact with potentially contaminated textiles.
Highlights
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an enveloped positive-strand RNA virus [1]
Laboratory experiments have demonstrated the persistence of infectious SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces for several days, with stability depending on the surface type, supporting the potential for indirect COVID-19 transmission [11,12,13,14,15,16,17]
Experimental conditions may significantly affect the stability and recovery of coronaviruses from surfaces, making comparisons between studies difficult, the literature suggests that stability on porous surfaces is highly dependent on the material
Summary
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an enveloped positive-strand RNA virus [1]. The risk of transmission by fomites was considered to be lower than droplet or aerosol transmission by quantitative microbial risk assessment studies, but still possible [14,15,16], with one study estimating the risk of COVID-19 infection from touching a contaminated surface in the community to range from 2 in 10 000 000 to 4 in 10 000, depending on the COVID-19 prevalence rate [15]. This provides a rationale for further research into the role of fomites in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The current methodologies for the assessment of stability and recovery of coronaviruses of surfaces will be explored
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