In a recent study published on the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers determined whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could be transmitted from a corpse.
Study: Can SARS-CoV-2 be transmitted from a dead body? Image credit: Giannis Papanikos/Shutterstock
In July 2020, the federal government of Japan established procedures related to the transportation and conduct of the funeral and cremation of patients who succumbed to the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). These guidelines emphasized several strategies for infection prevention and control. Several studies have reported the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in mortality from COVID-19.
About the study
In the present study, the researchers investigated whether transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is possible from corpses of patients with COVID-19.
The team tested the transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 from the cadaver of a hamster infected with COVID-19. Six-month-old Syrian hamsters were infected with SARS-CoV-2/UT-NCGM02/Human/2020 (Wuhan strain) and sacrificed either 24 hours or 48 hours after infection. Organs were collected from cadavers and euthanized infected hamsters for virus titration.
In addition, the transmissibility of the hamster carcass was verified by evaluating eight additional groups of naïve hamsters under cohousing conditions with an infected hamster that died 24 hours after infection.
The team also analyzed the effectiveness of Angel-care in preventing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from a dead hamster. In the care of human angels, the nostrils and pharynx are filled with gel before being plugged with cotton, while the rectum is filled with cotton and fiber, and the ears are filled with cotton to prevent leakage of body fluids. The researchers used the same moisture-absorbing gel in the hamster’s mouth and connected it with cotton, medical-grade Aron Alpha was used to plug the rectum and nostrils while the ears were left untreated. A total of 10 groups were considered, with each group consisting of one Angel-cared-for COVID-19-infected hamster body and two naïve hamsters.
In addition, the team evaluated the effectiveness of embalming corpses in preventing viral transmission. This was accomplished by injecting embalming agents through the apex of the cadaver’s heart and draining the blood. An embalmed body with two naïve hamsters constituted one group, and the team examined a total of 10 groups.
results
The results of the study showed that live infected hamsters had high viral titers in the lungs and nasal turbinates. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was observed among all living infected hamsters under cohousing conditions at 24 and 48 hours after infection with COVID-19. High viral titers were consistent in the nasal turbinates and lungs of infected hamsters that died 24 hours after euthanasia. In addition, transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was observed from one of two groups of hamsters co-housed with the euthanized infected hamster, where co-housing conditions began 24 hours after infection and not 48 hours.
Evaluation of naïve hamsters housed with the dead infected hamster showed that the dead body transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to two of the eight groups. Overall, three of the ten groups of hamsters showed transmission of the virus from the infected carcass to the naïve hamsters. This indicated that an infected dead body could transmit SARS-CoV-2 in the early phase of infection.
The bodies of the hamsters cared for by the angel had high viral titers in the lungs and nasal turbinates. However, these bodies did not transmit SARS-CoV-2 to naïve hamsters. This indicated that Angel-care effectively prevented the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from infected cadavers. On the other hand, the team was unable to assess the viral titers in the embalmed hamster bodies due to the toxicity caused by the embalming agent formaldehyde to the cultured cells used for the viral titration.
However, no transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was observed from the embalmed body to naïve hamsters. This suggested that embalming effectively blocked the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from a cadaver.
conclusion
The study’s findings showed that SARS-CoV-2 could be effectively transmitted from a corpse infected with COVID-19, potentially via postmortem gases. However, angel care treatment and embalming were found to prevent viral transmission from the corpse. The researchers believe that protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial during the handling of corpses infected with COVID-19, and infected corpses should be treated appropriately.
*Important news
bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and therefore should not be considered conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or be treated as established information.
Journal reference:
- (2022). Can SARS-CoV-2 be transmitted from a dead body? bioRxiv. doi: