Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39967723›Full record

ArticleJournal of public health in Africa2025

Is differential cleaning needed for SARS-CoV-2 beyond standard procedures? A systematic review.

Uduak Okomo, Ememobong N Aquaisua, Osamagbe Asemota, Deborah Ndukwu, Josephine E Egbung, Ekpereonne B Esu, Olabisi A Oduwole, John E Ehiri

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of public health in Africa, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

8 authors.

Uduak OkomoFaculty of Vaccines and Immunity Theme, Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Fajara, The Gambia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9923-1196
Ememobong N AquaisuaDepartment of Health and Demographic Surveillance System, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3220-4528
Osamagbe AsemotaDepartment of Paediatrics, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4405-2227
Deborah NdukwuInstitute of Tropical Diseases Research and Prevention, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cochrane, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2626-5425
Josephine E EgbungDepartment of Public Health, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7280-0889
Ekpereonne B EsuDepartment of Public Health, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9637-0633
Olabisi A OduwoleDepartment of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, Achievers University, Owo, Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3221-1139
John E EhiriMel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3689-6887

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: There is a substantial risk of indirect transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from contaminated surfaces and objects in healthcare settings. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of enhanced cleaning protocols for high-touch surfaces during COVID-19, focusing on cleaning products, concentrations, contact time, and recommended frequency. Setting: We focused on research conducted in healthcare settings or where samples were obtained from healthcare environments. Method: We assessed studies that compared different cleaning, disinfection, sterilisation, or decontamination procedures and cleaning frequency with standard or routine procedures. We prioritised randomised trials, non-randomised controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies, and interrupted time series analyses carried out between 01 January 2020 and 31 August 2022. Results: Three studies met our criteria from 2139 references searched. These studies, which took place in Iran, China and the United States, found that routine terminal cleaning and enhanced terminal cleaning with different cleaning enhancements significantly reduced SARS-CoV-2 surface contamination. One of the studies tested residual SARS-CoV-2 levels after routine and terminal cleaning with varying strengths of disinfectant and evaluated the efficacy of two common types of disinfectants in inactivating SARS-CoV-2 on inanimate surfaces in different hospital wards. Conclusion: Limited evidence supports cleaning strategies that can reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from surfaces in healthcare settings. Combining various cleaning methods and using multiple disinfectants can effectively reduce surface contamination. Contribution: Randomised controlled trials are crucial for evaluating cleaning effectiveness. They must outline cleaning protocols, detailing frequency, product concentration and volume, application methods, soil and surface types, and environmental conditions, to provide strong evidence.

Indexed as

cleaning productsenvironmental cleaninghealth facilityhospital cleaninginfection prevention and controlSARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID39967723
PMCPMC11830871

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.