Infective SARS-CoV-2 in Skull Sawdust at Autopsy, Finland

Jonas N. Kantonen; Suvi Kuivanen; Teemu Smura; Henri Puttonen; Eliisa Kekäläinen; Antti Sajantila; Liisa Myllykangas; Anu Kantele; Olli Vapalahti; Mikko I. Mäyränpää; Olli Carpén

doi:10.3201/eid3008.240145

Infective SARS-CoV-2 in Skull Sawdust at Autopsy, Finland

Jonas N. Kantonen, Suvi Kuivanen, Teemu Smura, Henri Puttonen, Eliisa Kekäläinen, Antti Sajantila, Liisa Myllykangas, Anu Kantele, Olli Vapalahti, Mikko I. Mäyränpää, Olli Carpén

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › Scientific

Abstract

We assessed the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 at autopsy in 22 deceased persons with confirmed COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 was found by PCR (2/22, 9.1%) and by culture (1/22, 4.5%) in skull sawdust, suggesting that live virus is present in tissues postmortem, including bone. Occupational exposure risk is low with appropriate personal protective equipment.

Original language	English
Journal	Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume	30
Issue number	8
Pages (from-to)	1735-1737
Number of pages	3
ISSN	1080-6040
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3008.240145
Publication status	Published - Aug 2024
MoE publication type	B1 Journal article

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All rights reserved.

Fields of Science

3121 General medicine, internal medicine and other clinical medicine

Access to Document

10.3201/eid3008.240145

Cite this

@article{4cc6fb1157d740b195eb0777210ba4c5,

title = "Infective SARS-CoV-2 in Skull Sawdust at Autopsy, Finland",

abstract = "We assessed the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 at autopsy in 22 deceased persons with confirmed COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 was found by PCR (2/22, 9.1%) and by culture (1/22, 4.5%) in skull sawdust, suggesting that live virus is present in tissues postmortem, including bone. Occupational exposure risk is low with appropriate personal protective equipment.",

keywords = "3121 General medicine, internal medicine and other clinical medicine",

author = "Kantonen, {Jonas N.} and Suvi Kuivanen and Teemu Smura and Henri Puttonen and Eliisa Kek{\"a}l{\"a}inen and Antti Sajantila and Liisa Myllykangas and Anu Kantele and Olli Vapalahti and M{\"a}yr{\"a}np{\"a}{\"a}, {Mikko I.} and Olli Carp{\'e}n",

year = "2024",

month = aug,

doi = "10.3201/eid3008.240145",

language = "English",

volume = "30",

pages = "1735--1737",

journal = "Emerging Infectious Diseases",

issn = "1080-6040",

publisher = "CENTERS DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION",

number = "8",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Infective SARS-CoV-2 in Skull Sawdust at Autopsy, Finland

AU - Kantonen, Jonas N.

AU - Kuivanen, Suvi

AU - Smura, Teemu

AU - Puttonen, Henri

AU - Kekäläinen, Eliisa

AU - Sajantila, Antti

AU - Myllykangas, Liisa

AU - Kantele, Anu

AU - Vapalahti, Olli

AU - Mäyränpää, Mikko I.

AU - Carpén, Olli

PY - 2024/8

Y1 - 2024/8

N2 - We assessed the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 at autopsy in 22 deceased persons with confirmed COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 was found by PCR (2/22, 9.1%) and by culture (1/22, 4.5%) in skull sawdust, suggesting that live virus is present in tissues postmortem, including bone. Occupational exposure risk is low with appropriate personal protective equipment.

AB - We assessed the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 at autopsy in 22 deceased persons with confirmed COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 was found by PCR (2/22, 9.1%) and by culture (1/22, 4.5%) in skull sawdust, suggesting that live virus is present in tissues postmortem, including bone. Occupational exposure risk is low with appropriate personal protective equipment.

KW - 3121 General medicine, internal medicine and other clinical medicine

U2 - 10.3201/eid3008.240145

DO - 10.3201/eid3008.240145

M3 - Letter

C2 - 39043418

AN - SCOPUS:85199350478

SN - 1080-6040

VL - 30

SP - 1735

EP - 1737

JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases

JF - Emerging Infectious Diseases

IS - 8

ER -