Use of ATP Readings to Predict a Successful Hygiene Intervention in the Workplace to Reduce the Spread of Viruses on Fomites

The purpose of this study was to validate the use of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for evaluating hygiene intervention effectiveness in reducing viral dissemination in an office environment. The bacterial virus MS-2 was used to evaluate two scenarios, one where the hand of an individual was contaminated and another where a fomite was contaminated. MS-2 was selected as a model because its shape and size are similar to many human pathogenic viruses. Two separate experiments were conducted, one in which the entrance door push plate was inoculated and the other in which the hand of one selected employee was inoculated. In both scenarios, 54 selected surfaces in the office were tested to assess the dissemination of the virus within the office. Associated surface contamination was also measured employing an ATP meter. More than half of the tested hands and surfaces in the office were contaminated with MS-2 within 4 h. Next, an intervention was conducted, and each scenario was repeated. Half of the participating employees were provided hand sanitizer, facial tissues, and disinfecting wipes, and were instructed in their use. A significant (p < 0.05) reduction was observed in the number of surfaces contaminated with virus. This reduction in viral spread was evident from the results of both viral culture and the surface ATP measurements, although there was no direct correlation between ATP measurements with respect to viral concentration. Although ATP does not measure viruses, these results demonstrate that ATP measurements could be useful for evaluating the effectiveness of hygiene interventions aimed at preventing viral spread in the workplace.     

Persistence of MS-2 Bacteriophage Within Eastern Oysters

Male-specific bacteriophages have been proposed as human enteric virus indicators for shellfish. In this study, Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) were individually exposed to 5.6 × 10¹⁰ PFU of MS-2 for 48 h at 15 °C followed by collective maintenance in continuously UV-sterilized seawater for 0–6 weeks at either 7, 15, or 24 °C. Initial contamination levels of MS-2 were >6 log PFU. Assessment of weekly declines of viable MS-2 indicated that cooler temperatures dramatically enhanced the persistence of MS-2 within oyster tissues. At 3 weeks, the average log PFU reductions for MS-2 within oysters were 2.28, 2.90, and 4.57 for oysters held at 7, 15, and 24 °C, respectively. Fitting temporal survival data with linear and nonlinear Weibull models indicated that the Weibull model best fit the observed reductions. In total, these data can serve as a guideline for regulatory agencies regarding the influence of water temperature on indicator phage after episodic sewage exposure.     

Assessment of Disinfectant Performance in Chicken Cages Using Coliphages

To control the spread of avian flu (influenza) and other viruses of concern among commercial flocks, it is essential that proper disinfection procedures be developed along with methods for assessing their performance. Such methods must be rapid and inexpensive. Coliphages were used as indicators to demonstrate the efficacy of quaternary ammonium compounds and chlorine bleach for the inactivation of viruses in chicken cages. The concentration of indigenous coliphages in chicken litter was found to be 10⁴–10⁷ per gram and from 0 to 8,500 per 100 cm² of floor surface. To assess the effectiveness of the disinfectants, floor samples were collected pre and post disinfection. These results indicated that chlorine bleach was more effective than quaternary ammonium compounds in reducing the amount of indigenous coliphages. To obtain better quantitative data, MS-2 coliphage was sprayed onto cage floors, left overnight to dry, and then the surfaces disinfected. Similar results were obtained with both indigenous coliphages and MS-2. There appears to be no significant difference in coliphage reduction by increasing the contact time from 10 to 30 min. To ensure at least a 99.9% reduction of virus at least 236 ml of household bleach per 3.78 l should be used.     

Prevalence of Human Parainfluenza Viruses and Noroviruses Genomes on Office Fomites

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential role of office fomites in respiratory (human parainfluenza virus 1—HPIV1, human parainfluenza virus 3—HPIV3) and enteric (norovirus GI—NoV GI, norovirus GII—NoV GII) viruses transmission by assessing the occurrence of these viruses on surfaces in office buildings. Between 2016 and 2017, a total of 130 surfaces from open-space and non-open-space rooms in office buildings located in one city were evaluated for HPIV1, HPIV3, NoV GI, and NoV GII viral RNA presence. Detection of viruses was performed by RT-qPCR method. Study revealed 27 positive samples, among them 59.3% were HPIV3-positive, 25.9% HPIV1-positive, and 14.8% NoV GII-positive. All tested surfaces were NoV GI-negative. Statistical analysis of obtained data showed that the surfaces of office equipment including computer keyboards and mice, telephones, and desktops were significantly more contaminated with respiratory viruses than the surfaces of building equipment elements such as door handles, light switches, or ventilation tracts (χ ² p = 0.006; Fisher’s Exact p = 0.004). All examined surfaces were significantly more contaminated with HPIVs than NoVs (χ ² p = 0.002; Fisher’s Exact p = 0.003). Office fomites in open-space rooms were more often contaminated with HPIVs than with NoVs (χ ² p = 0.016; Fisher’s Exact p = 0.013). The highest average concentration of HPIVs RNA copies was observed on telephones (1.66 × 10² copies/100 cm²), while NoVs on the light switches (1.40 × 10² copies/100 cm²). However, the Kruskal–Wallis test did not show statistically significant differences in concentration levels of viral RNA copies on surfaces between the all tested samples. This study unequivocally showed that individuals in office environment may have contact with both respiratory and enteric viral particles present on frequently touched surfaces.     

非农就业对农户种植多样性的影响:以江苏省泰兴市和宿豫区为例

为分析非农就业对农户种植多样性的影响,通过农户问卷调查手段获得356份农户问卷,以在江苏省泰兴市和宿豫区的农户问卷调查数据为基础,采用Poisson回归方法,估计了农户种植多样性决策模型。依据模型估计结果,分析了非农就业对农户种植多样性的影响。分析表明,农户的种植多样性受到多种因素的影响。负责农业生产家庭成员受教育年限提高1 a,种植多样性提高1.5%左右;种植面积增加1 hm²,则农户种植多样性提高28%左右;就农户参与非农活动的影响而言,与负责农业生产家庭成员不参与非农活动的农户相比较,负责农业生产家庭成员参与非农活动家庭的种植多样性减少11%左右;负责农业生产家庭成员参与非农活动月数增加1个月,农户种植多样性大约降低1.4%。分析说明负责农业生产家庭成员参与非农就业会显著降低农户种植多样性。     

Seasonal food insecurity in Bangladesh: evidences from northern areas

Seasonal food insecurity in Bangladesh is a multidimensional socioeconomic issue emanated from more than just access and availability of food. In general, it has been considered that the northern areas of Bangladesh, treated as monga-prone, is more vulnerable to seasonal food insecurity as compared to any other region of the country. The manifestation of monga is essentially food insecurity and consequent vulnerabilities. The paper investigates the seasonal food insecurity status, coping strategies along with its possible determinants linked to socioeconomic conditions of the affected households in Kurigram, one of the monga-prone districts of northern Bangladesh. A primary survey was conducted to explore the food insecurity status and diverse factors leading to food insecurity in terms of food consumption, livelihood and consequent family experiences in mitigating the severity of food insecurity during the monga (lean) period. The nature of household food insecurity seems to be an outcome of a variety of risk factors, as well as inability to manage those risks due to income and resource constraints. Moreover, a reduction in food intake during the monga period is one of the common scenarios in the study area. Marginal effects and elasticities after probit regression reveal that household’s income, share of per capita medical expenditure, safety net(s) involvement and the area of residence appear to be the leading factors affecting seasonal food insecurity during the monga period to a significant extent. Households with more medical expenditure (68 %), cultivable landholding (9 %) and households residing by the riverside (4 %) have a higher probability of food insecurity than their counterparts. On the contrary, relatively large size family (-16 %), higher income (-4 %) and safety net coverage (-19 %) have reduced the probability of food insecurity during the monga period. Finally, the paper concludes with some policy issues based on on-site observation and econometric analysis to overcome this transitory food insecurity in the monga-prone areas.     

Use of Hygiene Protocols to Control the Spread of Viruses in a Hotel

The goals of this study were to observe the spread of viruses in a hotel setting and to assess the effectiveness of a hygiene intervention in reducing their spread. Selected fomites in one hotel room were inoculated with bacteriophage ?x-174, and fomites in a conference center within the same hotel were inoculated using bacteriophage MS2. Cleaning of the contaminated room resulted in the spread of viruses to other rooms by the housekeeping staff. Furthermore, viruses were transferred by hotel guests to the conference center and a communal kitchen area. Additionally, conference attendees transferred viruses from the conference center to their hotel rooms and a communal kitchen area. This study demonstrated how viruses can be spread throughout a hotel setting by both housekeepers and guests. A hygiene intervention, which included providing hand hygiene products and facial tissues to the guests and disinfecting solutions with disposable wipes to the housekeeping staff, was successful in reducing the spread of viruses between the hotel guest rooms and conference center. The hygiene intervention resulted in significantly reduced transfer of the ?x-174 between the contaminated hotel room and other hotel rooms, communal areas, and the conference center (p = 0.02).     

我国北方农村生活燃煤情况调查、排放估算及政策启示

北方重灰霾频发时段与集中燃煤在冬季高度重合,引发了对农村散煤严重污染的担忧,但缺乏有力的统计数据支持. 2014年9月,在河北保定开展了当地农村生活能源使用情况入村调查,共获得5个村庄中543户家庭的能源使用数据. 结果表明:①保定农村地区散煤、电、液化气的使用覆盖率均很高,分别达到97%、100%和94%,反映了当前农村居民的能源消费更倾向于商业购置;而木柴和秸杆的使用覆盖率则较低,分别为13%和11%,表明传统的依赖于木柴和秸杆的能源方式已发生了根本改变. ②目前煤炭在农村能源结构中仍居主导地位,占近80%(其中散煤占76%,蜂窝煤占2%),其次为电力(10%)、液化气(5%),秸杆和木柴的比例(小于5%)均较低. ③调查估算,保定农村地区在2013年冬季采暖季(2013年11月─2014年3月)散煤用量超过500×104 t,高于《中国能源统计年鉴(2013)》中河北全省2012年农村散煤的用量(467×104 t),表明现有能源统计体系有待进一步完善. ④保定农村地区散煤的烟粉尘(即PM)和SO₂排放量分别为5.4×104和11.2×104 t,均超过了《中国环境统计年报(2013)》中保定的工业废气和城镇生活领域相应的排放量(甚至超过2个领域排放量之和),表明农村散煤燃烧的排放问题确应引起特别关注.由于农村散煤燃烧排放高度较低,其单位排放对空气污染的贡献要远高于高架源排放,因此,建议国家和地方将农村能源结构调整置于当前能源结构调整计划的最优先领域,采取综合措施,消除农村散煤使用的污染排放,这可能是应对当前冬季灰霾问题的关键举措之一.      

Assessment of a Portable Handheld UV Light Device for the Disinfection of Viruses and Bacteria in Water

Effective individual microbiological water purifiers are needed for consumption of untreated water sources by campers, emergency use, military, and in developing counties. A handheld UV light device was tested to assess if it could meet the virus reduction requirements established by the United State Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation and the World Health Organization. The device was found capable of inactivating at least 4 log₁₀ of poliovirus type 1, rotavirus SA-11 and MS-2 virus in 500 mL volumes of general case test water. But in the presence of high turbidity and organic matter, filtration was necessary to achieve a 4 log₁₀ reduction of the test viruses.     

Persistence of Human Noroviruses on Food Preparation Surfaces and Human Hands

The human noroviruses (NoV) are the major cause of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis and are commonly transmitted by foodborne routes. Epidemiological evidence from propagated outbreaks, as well as environmental sampling, suggest that these viruses are environmentally stable. The purpose of this study was to examine the persistence of representative human NoV on the fingertips of volunteers and on commonly used food preparation surfaces. Human fingerpads and surfaces (stainless steel, Formica^®, and ceramic) were inoculated with 20% fecal suspensions of Norwalk virus (NV) or Snow Mountain virus (SMV). The virus inocula were recovered by elution at serial time points ranging from 0 to 120 min post-inoculation (for fingerpads) and after up to 42 days (for surfaces). The quantity of detectable viral RNA, expressed as genome equivalent particles (GEP) was evaluated using quantitative real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR). The amount of NV RNA on the surface decreased gradually over time, with an average reduction ranging from 1.5 to 2.9 log₁₀ GEP after 21–28 days storage under ambient conditions. SMV showed greater environmental persistence, with a 0.4–1.2 log₁₀ GEP reduction on all three surfaces after 42 days of ambient storage. On fingerpads, the amount of human NoV RNA declined slightly (<0.25 log₁₀) after 15 min and remained relatively unchanged thereafter (through 120 min). These results support the epidemiological evidence that food preparation surfaces and human hands can act as vehicles for human NoV transmission long after the initial contamination event has occurred.     

Comparative assessment of primary and secondary infection risks in a norovirus outbreak using a household model simulation

Diarrheal diseases can be transmitted via both primary infection due to exposures to contaminated materials from the environment and secondary infection due to personto-person contacts. Usually, the importance of secondary infection is empirically assessed by fitting mathematical models to the epidemic curves. However, these empirical models may not be applicable to other epidemic cases because they are developed only for the target epidemics and they don't consider the detail routes of infection. In our previous study, we developed a theoretical model taking into account the various routes of infection that commonly occur in households(e.g., shaking hands, food handling, and changing diapers).This model was made flexible and applicable to any epidemics by means of adjusting model parameters. In this study, we proposed a new index "Vulnerability indicator to secondary infection(VISI)", which expressed a ratio of secondary infection to primary infection risks and calculated this index in a simulated norovirus(No V) epidemic that involved 10,000 households.The results demonstrated that households composed of more than three members including infant(s) had much higher levels of VISI(5–45) than two-member-households with VISI(0.1–4).These results concluded that the infants were likely to be a hub of secondary infections in highly dense families and therefore careful handling of diapers was deemed indispensible in such families to effectively control the secondary infections.     

食物转化视角下我国家庭食物浪费程度与影响因素——基于CHNS数据的实证分析

长期以来,我国食物供应充足稳定,但是人口、环境等因素不断对此提出挑战,并且我国每年的食物损失和浪费数量十分惊人。从食物转化视角将食物浪费率定义为家庭食物消费中未能正常转化为家庭成员身体质量指数的比例,采用随机前沿模型并基于CHNS数据估算我国家庭食物浪费率,并探讨家庭异质性特征的影响。结果显示：家庭平均浪费率为11.28%;家庭规模越小、孩子或老年人的数量越多、收入水平越高、南方地区、户主的受教育程度越低、主要女性成员的受教育程度越高或者有工作、对膳食知识掌握程度越低的家庭浪费率越高。因此,要鼓励生产小包装食物和小型厨具,指导家庭根据实际需求购买食物,加强推广食育运动,开展节粮活动并教授减损措施。     

Coastal household adaptation cost requirements to sea level rise impacts

This study assessed the autonomous adaptation cost requirements of coastal households to sea level rise impacts at a level to accommodate and protect (excluding retreat). The study examined six vulnerable villages, including both urbanized and fishery communities, located in the Gulf of Thailand. Half of them were near the shore, and the other half were further inland. In initiating the study, to assess actual adaptation costs, common household adaptative measures were first identified; then, using a questionnaire to collect associated costs data, interviews were conducted with individual households. To predict future adaptation costs, the study applied the budgeting for recurrent costs of investment and the future value of an equal annual expenditures payment. Adaptation costs were classified into capital and operating expenditures. Then a statistical comparison was completed of the mean differences in costs between the villages. The study results indicate that the impacted households primarily spent their money for capital expenditures related to home and farming environments. Operating expenditures are not a concern for them. The expected future adaptation costs adjusted with inflation throughout the next 30 years will be five times that of the present costs. This will require households to plan their savings very carefully. Whereas the adaptation costs of urbanized villages are clearly higher than those of fishery villages, there is no significant difference in the costs between near shore and next-to-shore villages. Information regarding adaptation costs at the household level is extremely rare. Knowing the requisite amount for the adaptation costs will be of added benefit to policy makers preparing for future assistance programs.     

One-year Surveillance of Human Enteric Viruses in Raw and Treated Wastewaters,Downstream River Waters,and Drinking Waters

Human enteric viruses are a major cause of waterborne diseases, and can be transmitted by contaminated water of all kinds, including drinking and recreational water. The objectives of the present study were to assess the occurrence of enteric viruses (enterovirus, norovirus, adenovirus, hepatitis A and E virus) in raw and treated wastewaters, in rivers receiving wastewater discharges, and in drinking waters. Wastewater treatment plants’ (WWTP) pathogen removal efficiencies by adenovirus quantitative real-time PCR and the presence of infectious enterovirus, by cell culture assays, in treated wastewaters and in surface waters were also evaluated. A total of 90 water samples were collected: raw and treated wastewaters (treated effluents and ultrafiltered water reused for industrial purposes), water from two rivers receiving treated discharges, and drinking water. Nested PCR assays were used for the identification of viral DNA/RNA, followed by direct amplicon sequencing. All raw sewage samples (21/21), 61.9 % of treated wastewater samples (13/21), and 25 % of ultrafiltered water samples (3/12) were contaminated with at least one viral family. Multiple virus families and genera were frequently detected. Mean positive PCRs per sample decreased significantly from raw to treated sewage and to ultrafiltered waters. Moreover, quantitative adenovirus data showed a reduction in excess of 99 % in viral genome copies following wastewater treatment. In surface waters, 78.6 % (22/28) of samples tested positive for one or more viruses by molecular methods, but enterovirus-specific infectivity assays did not reveal infectious particles in these samples. All drinking water samples tested negative for all viruses, demonstrating the effectiveness of treatment in removing viral pathogens from drinking water. Integrated strategies to manage water from all sources are crucial to ensure water quality.     

Aqueous Extracts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hibiscus sabdariffa</Emphasis> Calyces to Control Aichi Virus

Aqueous Hibiscus sabdariffa extracts possess antimicrobial properties with limited information available on their antiviral effects. Aichi virus (AiV) is an emerging foodborne pathogen that causes gastroenteritis. Vaccines are currently unavailable to prevent their disease transmission. The objective of this study was to determine the antiviral effects of aqueous H. sabdariffa extracts against AiV. AiV at ~5 log PFU/ml was incubated with undiluted (200 mg/ml), 1:1 (100 mg/ml) or 1:5 (40 mg/ml) diluted aqueous hibiscus extract (pH 3.6), phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.2 as control), or malic acid (pH 3.0, acid control) at 37 °C over 24 h. Treatments were stopped by serially diluting in cell-culture media containing fetal bovine serum and titers were determined using plaque assays on confluent Vero cells. Each treatment was replicated thrice and assayed in duplicate. AiV did not show any significant reduction with 1:1 (100 mg/ml) or 1:5 (40 mg/ml) diluted aqueous hibiscus extracts or malic acid after 0.5, 1, or 2 h at 37 °C. However, AiV titers were reduced to non-detectable levels after 24 h with all the three tested concentrations, while malic acid showed only 0.93 log PFU/ml reduction after 24 h. AiV was reduced by 0.5 and 0.9 log PFU/ml with undiluted extracts (200 mg/ml) after 2 and 6 h, respectively. AiV treated with 1:1 (100 mg/ml) and 1:5 (40 mg/ml) diluted extracts showed a minimal ~0.3 log PFU/ml reduction after 6 h. These extracts show promise to reduce AiV titers mainly through alteration of virus structure, though higher concentrations may have improved effects.     

城市家庭规模与结构对生活污水排放特征影响分析

以北京、上海、广州、兰州、昆明等5个城市30个中等收入城市家庭为研究对象,探讨了家庭规模、家庭结构对生活污水排放特征的影响.结果表明,城市家庭生活污水中各污染物排放量随家庭规模增大而增大,其中受家庭规模经济影响,COD、BOD的排放强度呈现出较为明显的边际递减规律,而TN、TP主要受家庭居民个体因素影响;综合考虑家庭规模、家庭结构的影响,首次提出家庭污染等效因子,把所考察的家庭转换成“等价(参照)家庭”,相对于参照家庭而言,所考察的家庭的污染排放状况与家庭污染等效因子成正比,由此反映不同家庭类型与生活污水排放之间的特定关系.     

Efficacy of Cinnamaldehyde Against Enteric Viruses and Its Activity After Incorporation Into Biodegradable Multilayer Systems of Interest in Food Packaging

Cinnamaldehyde (CNMA), an organic compound that gives cinnamon its flavor and odor, was investigated for its virucidal activity on norovirus surrogates, murine norovirus (MNV) and feline calicivirus (FCV), and hepatitis A virus (HAV). Initially, different concentrations of CNMA (0.1, 0.5 and 1 %) were individually mixed with each virus at titers of ca. 6–7 log₁₀ TCID₅₀/ml and incubated 2 h at 4 and 37 °C. CNMA was effective in reducing the titers of norovirus surrogates in a dose-dependent manner after 2 h at 37 °C, while HAV titers were reduced by 1 log₁₀ after treatment with 1 % of CNMA. When incubation time was extended, HAV titers were reduced by 3.4 and 2.7 log₁₀ after overnight incubation at 37 °C with 1 and 0.5 % of CNMA, respectively. Moreover, this paper analyzed, for the first time, the antiviral activity of adding an active electrospun interlayer based on zein and CNMA to a polyhydroxybutyrate packaging material (PHB) in a multilayer form. Biodegradable multilayer systems prepared with 2.60 mg/cm² (~9.7 %) of CNMA completely inactivated FCV according to ISO 22196:2011, while MNV titers were reduced by 2.75 log₁₀. When the developed multilayer films were evaluated after one month of preparation or at 25 °C, the antiviral activity was reduced as compared to freshly prepared multilayer films evaluated at 37 °C. The results show the excellent potential of this system for food contact applications as well as for active packaging technologies in order to maintain or extend food quality and safety.