Microorganisms @ materials surfaces in aircraft: Potential risks for public health? - A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Civil air travel is increasingly recognized as an important potential source for the rapid spread of infectious diseases that were geographically confined in the past, creating international epidemics with great health and socio-economic impact.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review is to elucidate the correlations of materials surfaces (composition, structure, properties) and microbial dependences on them in aircraft.

METHODS: The review was prepared according to PRISMA guidelines. Based on a systematic search for studies published before 30 June 2018 in English, we selected and reviewed the contamination, tenacity, and transmission of microorganisms related to specific surfaces within the aircraft cabin. We also reviewed the chemical composition and properties of these surface materials applied within aircraft.

RESULTS: From a total of 828 records 15 articles were included for further analysis in this systematic review, indicating that the aircraft interior surfaces in seat areas (tray tables, armrests, seat covers) and lavatories (door knob handles, toilet flush buttons) are generally colonized by various types of potentially hazardous microorganisms.

CONCLUSIONS: The interior surfaces in seat and lavatory areas could pose higher health risks by causing infections due to their relatively high microbial contamination compared with other interior surfaces. The classification, chemical composition, surface structures and physicochemical properties of materials surfaces have a varied effect on the adhesion, colonization, tenacity and potential transmission of microorganisms within the aircraft cabin. Strategies are proposed for the interruption of surface-related infection chains in the aircraft field.