Cross transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and obstetric ultrasound
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Beuy Joob
and
Viroj Wiwanitkit
To the Editor,
We would like to discuss on the publication “Minimizing cross transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in obstetric ultrasound during COVID-19 pandemic [1].” Wataganara et al. concluded that “There must be workflow policies to protect pregnant women and healthcare providers from nosocomial cross transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Cleaning and disinfecting of equipment must be in accordance with their potential of pathogen transmission [1].” First, the aim of prevention should be complete inhibiting possibility of cross transmission, not only minimizing. Zero error must be the concept in quality and safety management. The described procedures by Wataganara et al. is useful but it should add the prevention in pre- and post-obstetric ultrasonography period. The cross transmission of disease can occur at any stage and the risk for the patient who gets clinical service from the hospital starts from entering the hospital until returning to home. In a hospital, pathogen contamination might be elsewhere. The good example is the contamination at toilet [2], [3]. Regarding, cleansing and disinfecting is necessary and there should be good place for cleansing/disinfecting. Giving the possibility that there might be droplets during the cleansing/disinfecting process, the environmental control is required. The good ventilation is required for any units in the hospital. Also, a forgotten issue is the management of waste from the procedure. In an environmental medicine study, the contamination of pathogen in waste water from the hospital is possible [4].
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Research funding: None declared.
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Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
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Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
References
1. Wataganara, T, Ruangvutilert, P, Sunsaneevithayakul, P, Sutantawibul, A, Chuchotirot, M, Phattanachindakun, B, et al.. Minimizing cross transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in obstetric ultrasound during COVID-19 pandemic. J Perinat Med 2020;48:931–42. https://doi.org/10.1515/jpm-2020-0228.Search in Google Scholar PubMed
2. Cheng, VC, Wong, SC, Chan, VW, So, SY, Chen, JH, Yip, CC, et al.. Air and environmental sampling for SARS-CoV-2 around hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Infect Contr Hosp Epidemiol 2020;41:1258–65. https://doi.org/10.1017/ice.2020.282.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
3. D’accolti, M, Soffritti, I, Passaro, A, Zuliani, G, Antonioli, P, Mazzacane, S, et al.. SARS-CoV-2 RNA contamination on surfaces of a COVID-19 ward in a hospital of Northern Italy: what risk of transmission? Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2020;24:9202–7. https://doi.org/10.26355/eurrev_202009_22872.Search in Google Scholar PubMed
4. Wang, XW, Li, JS, Guo, TK, Zhen, B, Kong, QX, Yi, B, et al.. Concentration and detection of SARS coronavirus in sewage from Xiao Tang Shan Hospital and the 309th Hospital. J Virol Methods 2005;128:156–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jviromet.2005.03.022.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Review
- Clinical evaluation of labor: an evidence- and experience-based approach
- Original Articles – Obstetrics
- How fever is defined in COVID-19 publications: a disturbing lack of precision
- Initial review of pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 infection
- Usefulness of COVID-19 screen-and-test approach in pregnant women: an experience from a country with low COVID-19 burden
- Clinical chorioamnionitis at term X: microbiology, clinical signs, placental pathology, and neonatal bacteremia – implications for clinical care
- Cytokine profiling: variation in immune modulation with preterm birth vs. uncomplicated term birth identifies pivotal signals in pathogenesis of preterm birth
- Hyperechoic amniotic membranes in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes (p-PROM) and pregnancy outcome
- A novel technique for prediction of preterm birth: fetal nasal flow Doppler
- Pregnant women’s knowledge and behaviour to prevent cytomegalovirus infection: an observational study
- Reference intervals and reliability of cavum septi pellucidi volume measurements by three-dimensional ultrasound between 19 and 24 weeks’ gestation
- First-trimester presentation of ultrasound findings in trisomy 13 and validation of multiparameter ultrasound-based risk calculation models to detect trisomy 13 in the late first trimester
- Pre-operative tranexemic acid vs. etamsylate in reducing blood loss during elective cesarean section: randomized controlled trial
- External validation of a prediction model on vaginal birth after caesarean in a The Netherlands: a prospective cohort study
- The influence of race on cervical length in pregnant women in Brazil
- Original Articles – Fetus
- A 24-segment fractional shortening of the fetal heart using FetalHQ
- Original Articles – Neonates
- Antenatal corticosteroids and short-term neonatal outcomes in term and near-term infants of diabetic mothers. Analysis of the Qatar PEARL-peristat registry
- Acute respiratory effect of transpyloric feeding for respiratory exacerbation in preterm infants
- Quality improvement for reducing utilization drift in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy management
- Letter to the Editor
- Cross transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and obstetric ultrasound
- ‘Getting to zero’ cross transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in obstetric ultrasound during COVID-19 pandemic
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Review
- Clinical evaluation of labor: an evidence- and experience-based approach
- Original Articles – Obstetrics
- How fever is defined in COVID-19 publications: a disturbing lack of precision
- Initial review of pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women with COVID-19 infection
- Usefulness of COVID-19 screen-and-test approach in pregnant women: an experience from a country with low COVID-19 burden
- Clinical chorioamnionitis at term X: microbiology, clinical signs, placental pathology, and neonatal bacteremia – implications for clinical care
- Cytokine profiling: variation in immune modulation with preterm birth vs. uncomplicated term birth identifies pivotal signals in pathogenesis of preterm birth
- Hyperechoic amniotic membranes in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes (p-PROM) and pregnancy outcome
- A novel technique for prediction of preterm birth: fetal nasal flow Doppler
- Pregnant women’s knowledge and behaviour to prevent cytomegalovirus infection: an observational study
- Reference intervals and reliability of cavum septi pellucidi volume measurements by three-dimensional ultrasound between 19 and 24 weeks’ gestation
- First-trimester presentation of ultrasound findings in trisomy 13 and validation of multiparameter ultrasound-based risk calculation models to detect trisomy 13 in the late first trimester
- Pre-operative tranexemic acid vs. etamsylate in reducing blood loss during elective cesarean section: randomized controlled trial
- External validation of a prediction model on vaginal birth after caesarean in a The Netherlands: a prospective cohort study
- The influence of race on cervical length in pregnant women in Brazil
- Original Articles – Fetus
- A 24-segment fractional shortening of the fetal heart using FetalHQ
- Original Articles – Neonates
- Antenatal corticosteroids and short-term neonatal outcomes in term and near-term infants of diabetic mothers. Analysis of the Qatar PEARL-peristat registry
- Acute respiratory effect of transpyloric feeding for respiratory exacerbation in preterm infants
- Quality improvement for reducing utilization drift in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy management
- Letter to the Editor
- Cross transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and obstetric ultrasound
- ‘Getting to zero’ cross transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in obstetric ultrasound during COVID-19 pandemic
