Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41343559›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

SARS-CoV-2 detection is independent of microbiome composition on surfaces in a major Ontario hospital.

Nikhil A George, Lauren Bradford, Aaron Hinz, Marita El Kadi, Lydia Xing, Evgueni Doukhanine, Derek R MacFadden, Caroline Nott, Michael Fralick, Rees Kassen and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 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

12 authors.

Nikhil A GeorgeDepartment of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Lauren BradfordDepartment of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Aaron HinzDepartment of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Marita El KadiDepartment of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Lydia XingThe Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Evgueni DoukhanineDNA Genotek Incorporated, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Derek R MacFaddenThe Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Caroline NottThe Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Michael FralickDivision of General Internal Medicine, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Rees KassenDepartment of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Alex WongDepartment of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Laura A HugDepartment of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5974-9428

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in considerable mortality in hospital settings. Built environment surveillance can provide a non-invasive indicator of SARS-CoV-2 status in hospitals, but we have a limited understanding of SARS-CoV-2's microbial co-associations in the built environment, including any potential co-occurrence dynamics with pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms. Here we examine the microbial communities on floors and elevator buttons across several locations in two major tertiary-care Ontario hospitals during a surge in SARS-CoV-2 cases in 2020. Total microbial community composition, prevalence and type of detected antimicrobial resistance genes, and virulence factor distributions were governed by sample source rather than SARS-CoV-2 detection status. Fifteen microorganisms were identified as indicator species associated with positive SARS-CoV-2 signal, including three opportunistic pathogens (i.e., two Corynebacterium sp. and a Sutterella sp). Key clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes showed varying prevalence across sites within the hospital, suggesting that our workflow could inform resistance burden in hospitals. Overall, these results indicate limited or only weak interactions between microbiome composition and SARS-CoV-2 detection status in the hospital built environment.

Indexed as

COVID-19MicrobiotaSARS-CoV-2HospitalsHumansOntario

Identifiers

PMID41343559
PMCPMC12677581

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.