Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32408911›Full record

ReviewInfection control and hospital epidemiology2020

Current knowledge of COVID-19 and infection prevention and control strategies in healthcare settings: A global analysis.

M Saiful Islam, Kazi M Rahman, Yanni Sun, Mohammed O Qureshi, Ikram Abdi, Abrar A Chughtai, Holly Seale

Open access · hybridAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Infection control and hospital epidemiology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 89 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
89citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
20.4field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

89 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 204 citations in OpenAlex.

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29 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

M Saiful IslamSchool of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-5690-5971
Kazi M RahmanNorth Coast Public Health Unit, New South Wales Health, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia.
Yanni SunCentre for Population Health, New South Wales Health, Sydney, Australia.
Mohammed O QureshiSchool of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Ikram AbdiSchool of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Abrar A ChughtaiSchool of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Holly SealeSchool of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
UNSW Sydney · AUInternational Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research · BDNew South Wales Department of Health · AUThe University of Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveIn the current absence of a vaccine for COVID-19, public health responses aim to break the chain of infection by focusing on the mode of transmission. We reviewed the current evidence on the transmission dynamics and on pathogenic and clinical features of COVID-19 to critically identify any gaps in the current infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines.

methodsIn this study, we reviewed global COVID-19 IPC guidelines by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Guidelines from 2 high-income countries (Australia and United Kingdom) and from 1 middle-income country (China) were also reviewed. We searched publications in English on 'PubMed' and Google Scholar. We extracted information related to COVID-19 transmission dynamics, clinical presentations, and exposures that may facilitate transmission. We then compared these findings with the recommended IPC measures.

resultsNosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare settings occurs through droplets, aerosols, and the oral-fecal or fecal-droplet route. However, the IPC guidelines fail to cover all transmission modes, and the recommendations also conflict with each other. Most guidelines recommend surgical masks for healthcare providers during routine care and N95 respirators for aerosol-generating procedures. However, recommendations regarding the type of face mask varied, and the CDC recommends cloth masks when surgical masks are unavailable.

conclusionIPC strategies should consider all the possible routes of transmission and should target all patient care activities involving risk of person-to-person transmission. This review may assist international health agencies in updating their guidelines.

Indexed as

AerosolsBetacoronavirusCoronavirus InfectionsCOVID-19Global HealthHealth PersonnelHumansInfection ControlInfectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-ProfessionalMasksPandemicsPersonal Protective EquipmentPneumonia, ViralPractice Guidelines as TopicSARS-CoV-2Aerosols

Identifiers

PMID32408911
PMCPMC7253768
OpenAlexW3024173142

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.