SARS-CoV-2 survival on skin and its transfer from contaminated surfaces.
Understanding the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2, particularly its transfer from contaminated surfaces (fomites) to human skin, is crucial for mitigating the spread of COVID-19. While extensive research has examined the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on various surfaces, there is limited understandi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325235 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849434895880814592 |
|---|---|
| author | Ana K Pitol Samiksha Venkatesan Siobhan Richards Michael Hoptroff Amitabha Majumdar Grant L Hughes |
| author_facet | Ana K Pitol Samiksha Venkatesan Siobhan Richards Michael Hoptroff Amitabha Majumdar Grant L Hughes |
| author_sort | Ana K Pitol |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2, particularly its transfer from contaminated surfaces (fomites) to human skin, is crucial for mitigating the spread of COVID-19. While extensive research has examined the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on various surfaces, there is limited understanding of how efficiently it transfers to human skin, and how long it survives on the skin. This study investigates two key aspects of SARS-CoV-2 transmission: (1) the transfer efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 from non-porous (plastic and metal) and porous (cardboard) surfaces to a 3D human skin model (LabSkin), and (2) the survival of SARS-CoV-2 on the skin under different temperature conditions. First, we validated LabSkin as a suitable surrogate for human skin by comparing the transfer efficiency of the bacteriophage Phi 6 from surfaces to LabSkin and to human volunteers' fingers. No significant differences were observed, confirming LabSkin's suitability for these studies. Subsequently, the transfer of SARS-CoV-2 from surfaces to LabSkin was assessed, showing that plastic and metal surfaces had similar transfer efficiencies (~13%), while no transfer occurred from cardboard once the inoculum had dried on the surface. Finally, the survival of SARS-CoV-2 on skin was assessed, showing a rapid decay at higher temperatures, with a half-life ranging from 2.8 to 17.8 hours depending on the temperature. These findings enhance our understanding of viral transmission via fomites and inform public health strategies to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through surface contact. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a374eacec23c40d9be9784393ac0939d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj-art-a374eacec23c40d9be9784393ac0939d2025-08-20T03:26:29ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01206e032523510.1371/journal.pone.0325235SARS-CoV-2 survival on skin and its transfer from contaminated surfaces.Ana K PitolSamiksha VenkatesanSiobhan RichardsMichael HoptroffAmitabha MajumdarGrant L HughesUnderstanding the transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2, particularly its transfer from contaminated surfaces (fomites) to human skin, is crucial for mitigating the spread of COVID-19. While extensive research has examined the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 on various surfaces, there is limited understanding of how efficiently it transfers to human skin, and how long it survives on the skin. This study investigates two key aspects of SARS-CoV-2 transmission: (1) the transfer efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 from non-porous (plastic and metal) and porous (cardboard) surfaces to a 3D human skin model (LabSkin), and (2) the survival of SARS-CoV-2 on the skin under different temperature conditions. First, we validated LabSkin as a suitable surrogate for human skin by comparing the transfer efficiency of the bacteriophage Phi 6 from surfaces to LabSkin and to human volunteers' fingers. No significant differences were observed, confirming LabSkin's suitability for these studies. Subsequently, the transfer of SARS-CoV-2 from surfaces to LabSkin was assessed, showing that plastic and metal surfaces had similar transfer efficiencies (~13%), while no transfer occurred from cardboard once the inoculum had dried on the surface. Finally, the survival of SARS-CoV-2 on skin was assessed, showing a rapid decay at higher temperatures, with a half-life ranging from 2.8 to 17.8 hours depending on the temperature. These findings enhance our understanding of viral transmission via fomites and inform public health strategies to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through surface contact.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325235 |
| spellingShingle | Ana K Pitol Samiksha Venkatesan Siobhan Richards Michael Hoptroff Amitabha Majumdar Grant L Hughes SARS-CoV-2 survival on skin and its transfer from contaminated surfaces. PLoS ONE |
| title | SARS-CoV-2 survival on skin and its transfer from contaminated surfaces. |
| title_full | SARS-CoV-2 survival on skin and its transfer from contaminated surfaces. |
| title_fullStr | SARS-CoV-2 survival on skin and its transfer from contaminated surfaces. |
| title_full_unstemmed | SARS-CoV-2 survival on skin and its transfer from contaminated surfaces. |
| title_short | SARS-CoV-2 survival on skin and its transfer from contaminated surfaces. |
| title_sort | sars cov 2 survival on skin and its transfer from contaminated surfaces |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325235 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anakpitol sarscov2survivalonskinanditstransferfromcontaminatedsurfaces AT samikshavenkatesan sarscov2survivalonskinanditstransferfromcontaminatedsurfaces AT siobhanrichards sarscov2survivalonskinanditstransferfromcontaminatedsurfaces AT michaelhoptroff sarscov2survivalonskinanditstransferfromcontaminatedsurfaces AT amitabhamajumdar sarscov2survivalonskinanditstransferfromcontaminatedsurfaces AT grantlhughes sarscov2survivalonskinanditstransferfromcontaminatedsurfaces |