Real human surface touch behavior based quantitative analysis on infection spread via fomite route in an office

Abstract

<p>Fomites can transmit some infectious diseases. Human touch behaviors are known to affect virus transmission in buildings. Using video cameras in a graduate student office, we collected more than 98,000 touch actions from 14 h of high-resolution video data of surfaces touched by fingers, palms, and backs of hands. Based on the collected data, we simulated infection spread via the fomite route. 90% of touches to mucous membranes are by fingers (70% by fingers of the nondominant hand; 20% by fingers of the dominant hand). 3% of the virus released into the atmosphere by those infected was transmitted to other students' hands, personal-use surfaces, and public surfaces. Public surfaces are responsible for 53% of virus transmission due to surface touch to susceptible students. 65% of the virus transmitted to the mucous membranes, is by nondominant hands. 93% of virus intake via mucous membranes of the susceptible was from fingers. Door handles and mobile phones transferred the most viral loads to hands of the susceptible. Total virus exposure due to touching has no significant relationship with the duration of being indoors, but human behavior does. Behavior-related intervention strategies are much more efficient than other strategies such as public surface disinfection. If we never touch other's personal surfaces, we would reduce our exposure to the virus by 80%.</p>