The Safe Return of Face-to-Face Teaching in the Post-COVID-19 Era at a University in Southern Italy: Surface Monitoring as an Early Warning System

Author:

De Giglio Osvalda1ORCID,Triggiano Francesco1,Apollonio Francesca1,Buonavoglia Canio2ORCID,Capozzi Loredana3,Camero Michele2,Colafemmina Giuseppe4ORCID,Del Prete Raffaele5,Fasano Fabrizio1ORCID,Lanave Gianvito2ORCID,Mateos Helena4ORCID,Pace Lorenzo3ORCID,Mosca Adriana5,Palazzo Gerardo4ORCID,Parisi Antonio3ORCID,Stefanizzi Pasquale1ORCID,Terio Valentina6ORCID,Tafuri Silvio1ORCID,Montagna Maria Teresa1ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Hygiene Section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy

2. Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Valenzano, Italy

3. Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Puglia and Basilicata, 71121 Foggia, Italy

4. Chemistry Department, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy

5. Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, Microbiology Section, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy

6. Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Provincial Road to Casamassima Km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Italy

Abstract

Environmental monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 has become a useful adjunct to clinical testing because it is widely available and relatively inexpensive. During the period May–December 2022 (spring–summer: May–September–autumn: October–December), we assessed the presence and viability of the virus on surfaces in university settings in the Apulia region (Southern Italy) after the resumption of face-to-face teaching activities and evaluated surface monitoring as an early warning system. The sampling plan provided for the selection of 75% of the surface types (e.g., student and teacher desks, computer, handrail) in different materials (plasticized wood, wood, metal, plastic) present in different environments. Overall, 5.4% of surfaces (all students’ desks) resulted in positive with RT-PCR and negative with viral culture. Greater contamination was found in the spring–summer period than in the autumn (χ2 test with Yates correction = 7.6003; p-value = 0.006). The Poisson regression model showed a direct association between the average number of COVID-19 cases among university students in the seven days following sampling and the percentage of SARS-CoV-2 positive swabs on sampling day and (Intercept = 5.32498; β = 0.01847; p < 0.001). Our results show that environmental monitoring for SARS-CoV-2, especially in crowded settings such as universities, could be a useful tool for early warning, even after the end of the COVID-19 emergency.

Funder

Horizon Europe Seeds

S52 “La ripresa in sicurezza della didattica in presenza al tempo del COVID: Strategie di COntenimentO di Precisione SCOOP”

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes,Computer Science Applications,Process Chemistry and Technology,General Engineering,Instrumentation,General Materials Science

Reference55 articles.

1. (2023, August 24). World Health Organization Status of Environmental Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 Virus: Scientific Brief, 5 August 2020. Available online: www.who.int/newsroom/commentaries/detail/status-of-environmental-surveillance-for-sars-cov-2-virus.

2. SARS-CoV-2 in the Environment: Its Transmission, Mitigation, and Prospective Strategies of Safety and Sustainability;Sami;Rev. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.,2022

3. Casabianca, A., Orlandi, C., Amagliani, G., Magnani, M., Brandi, G., and Schiavano, G.F. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detection on Environmental Surfaces in a University Setting of Central Italy. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 19.

4. Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1;Bushmaker;N. Engl. J. Med.,2020

5. Stability of SARS-CoV-2 on Critical Personal Protective Equipment;Kasloff;Sci. Rep.,2021

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