The handling of SARS-CoV-2 associated deaths - infectivity of the body.
Forensic Sci Med Pathol
; 17(3): 411-418, 2021 09.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34076852
ABSTRACT
The body of a deceased with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is considered infectious. In this study, we present the results of infectivity testing of the body and testing of mortuary staff for SARS-CoV-2. We performed real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for SARS-CoV-2 on 33 decedents with ante mortem confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Swabs of the body surface from five different body regions and from the body bag or coffin were examined. A subset of the swabs was brought into cell culture. In addition, screening of 25 Institute of Legal Medicine (ILM) personnel for ongoing or past SARS-CoV-2 infection was performed at two different time points during the pandemic. Swabs from all locations of the body surface and the body environment were negative in cases of negative post mortem nasopharyngeal testing (n=9). When the post mortem nasopharyngeal swab tested positive (n=24), between 0 and 5 of the body surface swabs were also positive, primarily the perioral region. In six of the cases, the body bag also yielded a positive result. The longest postmortem interval with positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR at the body surface was nine days. In no case viable SARS-CoV-2 was found on the skin of the bodies or the body bags. One employee (autopsy technician) had possible occupational infection with SARS-CoV-2; all other employees were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antibody twice. Our data indicate that with adequate management of general safety precautions, transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through autopsies and handling of bodies is unlikely.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
SARS-CoV-2
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Forensic Sci Med Pathol
Journal subject:
JURISPRUDENCIA
/
MEDICINA
/
PATOLOGIA
Year:
2021
Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Germany