PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Myrna M.T. de Rooij
AU  - Renate Hakze-Van Der Honing
AU  - Marcel M. Hulst
AU  - Frank Haders
AU  - Marc Engelsma
AU  - Wouter Van De Hoef
AU  - Kees Meliefste
AU  - Sigrid Nieuwenweg
AU  - Bas B. Oude Munnink
AU  - Isabella Van Schothorst
AU  - Reina S. Sikkema
AU  - Arco N. Van Der Spek
AU  - Marcel Spierenbrug
AU  - Jack Spithoven
AU  - Ruth Bouwstra
AU  - Robert-Jan Molenaar
AU  - Marion Koopmans
AU  - Arjan Stegeman
AU  - Wim H.M. Van Der Poel
AU  - Lidwien A.M. Smit
TI  - Occupational and environmental exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in and around infected mink farms
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2021.PA3181
DP  - 2021 Sep 05
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - PA3181
VI  - 58
IP  - suppl 65
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA3181.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/58/suppl_65/PA3181.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2021 Sep 05; 58
AB  - Uncontrolled SARS-CoV-2 infections in farmed minks raised concerns regarding environmental transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from minks to farm workers and the general population living in the vicinity of infected farms.We aimed to assess occupational and environmental exposure by intensive environmental investigations in and around infected Dutch mink farms.Air sampling was performed in farms, at farm premises and at nearby residential sites. A range of other environmental samples were collected from minks’ housing units including bedding material. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was analyzed in all samples by qPCR.Inside the farms, considerable levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were found in airborne dust especially in personal inhalable dust samples (~1,000-10,000 copies/m3). Most of the settling dust samples scored positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, 82% (75/92). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in outdoor air samples, except for those collected near the entrance of the most recently infected farm. Many samples of the minks’ housing units and surfaces contained SARS-CoV-2 RNA.To conclude, infected mink farms can be highly contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 RNA. This warns for occupational exposure which was substantiated by considerable SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in personal air samples. Dispersion to outdoor air was found to be limited and SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in air samples collected beyond farm premises, implying a negligible environmental exposure risk for nearby communities. Our occupational and environmental risk assessment is in line with whole genome sequencing analyses showing mink-to-human transmission in farm workers, but no indications for direct zoonotic transmission events to nearby communities.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA3181.This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).