Transmission risks of respiratory infectious diseases in various confined spaces : A meta-analysis for future pandemics

Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved..

BACKGROUND: If the different transmission risks of respiratory infectious diseases according to the type of confined space and associated factors could be discovered, this kind of information will be an important basis for devising future quarantine policies. However, no comprehensive systematic review or meta-analysis for this topic exists.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to analyze different transmission risks of respiratory infectious diseases according to the type of confined space. This information will be an important basis for devising future quarantine policies.

METHODS: A medical librarian searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library (until December 01, 2020).

RESULTS: A total of 147 articles were included. The risk of transmission in all types of confined spaces was approximately 3 times higher than in open space (combined RR, 2.95 (95% CI 2.62-3.33)). Among them, school or workplace showed the highest transmission risk (combined RR, 3.94 (95% CI 3.16-4.90)). Notably, in the sub-analysis for SARS-CoV-2, residential space and airplane were the riskiest space (combined RR, 8.30 (95% CI 3.30-20.90) and 7.30 (95% CI 1.15-46.20), respectively).

DISCUSSION: Based on the equation of the total number of contacts, the order of transmission according to the type of confined space was calculated. The calculated order was similar to the observed order in this study. The transmission risks in confined spaces can be lowered by reducing each component of the aforementioned equation. However, as seen in the data for SARS-CoV-2, the closure of one type of confined space could increase the population density in another confined space. The authority of infection control should consider this paradox. Appropriate quarantine measures targeted for specific types of confined spaces with a higher risk of transmission, school or workplace for general pathogens, and residential space/airplane for SARS-CoV-2 can reduce the transmission of respiratory infectious diseases.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2021

Erschienen:

2021

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:202

Enthalten in:

Environmental research - 202(2021) vom: 15. Nov., Seite 111679

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Moon, Jinyoung [VerfasserIn]
Ryu, Byung-Han [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

COVID-19
Confined space
Journal Article
Meta-Analysis
Meta-analysis
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Respiratory infectious disease
SARS-CoV-2
Transmission risk

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 11.11.2021

Date Revised 11.11.2021

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.envres.2021.111679

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM328108391