{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,1]],"date-time":"2026-03-01T04:39:02Z","timestamp":1772339942341,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,4]],"date-time":"2022-01-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1641254400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>As the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hit Portugal, it forced the country to reintroduce lockdown measures due to hospitals reaching their full capacities. Under these circumstances, environmental contamination by SARS-CoV-2 in different areas of one of Portugal\u2019s major Hospitals was assessed between 21 January and 11 February 2021. Air samples (n = 44) were collected from eleven different areas of the Hospital (four COVID-19 and seven non-COVID-19 areas) using Coriolis\u00ae \u03bc and Coriolis\u00ae Compact cyclone air sampling devices. Surface sampling was also performed (n = 17) on four areas (one COVID-19 and three non-COVID-19 areas). RNA extraction followed by a one-step RT-qPCR adapted for quantitative purposes were performed. Of the 44 air samples, two were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA (6575 copies\/m3 and 6662.5 copies\/m3, respectively). Of the 17 surface samples, three were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA (200.6 copies\/cm2, 179.2 copies\/cm2, and 201.7 copies\/cm2, respectively). SARS-CoV-2 environmental contamination was found both in air and on surfaces in both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 areas. Moreover, our results suggest that longer collection sessions are needed to detect point contaminations. This reinforces the need to remain cautious at all times, not only when in close contact with infected individuals. Hand hygiene and other standard transmission-prevention guidelines should be continuously followed to avoid nosocomial COVID-19.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19010525","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,6]],"date-time":"2022-01-06T03:41:32Z","timestamp":1641440492000},"page":"525","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["Evidence of Air and Surface Contamination with SARS-CoV-2 in a Major Hospital in Portugal"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Priscilla Gomes da","family":"Silva","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2013School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"LEPABE\u2013Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2191-527X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9","family":"Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid, Spain"}]},{"given":"Ariana Isabel Brito","family":"Lopes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidade Local de Sa\u00fade do Alto Minho E.P.E., 4904-858 Viana do Castelo, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Nury Alves","family":"Esteves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidade Local de Sa\u00fade do Alto Minho E.P.E., 4904-858 Viana do Castelo, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Gustavo Emanuel Enes","family":"Bamba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidade Local de Sa\u00fade do Alto Minho E.P.E., 4904-858 Viana do Castelo, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6157-4978","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9","family":"Nascimento","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4163-0936","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pedro T. B. S.","family":"Branco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LEPABE\u2013Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5958-5232","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ruben R. G.","family":"Soares","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4139-673X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sofia I. V.","family":"Sousa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LEPABE\u2013Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8769-8103","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jo\u00e3o R.","family":"Mesquita","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ICBAS\u2013School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100738","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nmni.2020.100738","article-title":"COVID-19: Pathophysiology, diagnosis, complications and investigational therapeutics","volume":"37","author":"Azer","year":"2020","journal-title":"New Microbes New Infect."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"WHO (2021, August 16). 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