The Middle East Respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has been responsible for multiple health care-associated outbreaks. We investigated whether high-touch surfaces in 3 rooms of laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV patients were contaminated with MERS-CoV RNA. We found 2 out of 51 surfaces were contaminated with MERS-CoV viral genetic material. Hence, environmental contamination may be a potential source of health care transmission and outbreaks. Meticulous environmental cleaning may be important in preventing transmission within the health care setting.
Keywords: Environmental cleaning; Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV); Saudi Arabia; environmental contamination; infection control.
Copyright © 2016 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.