JP7664894B2 - How to determine sanitation processing locations - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for determining a sanitary treatment location, a method for determining sanitary treatment conditions, a method for determining a sanitary treatment method, a sanitary treatment method, a sanitary treatment kit, an estimation method, a method for displaying the contamination status at a candidate sanitary treatment location, and a method for displaying a sanitary treatment location.

The living environment that surrounds us includes various equipment, facilities, and devices, and various treatments are performed taking into consideration the intended use of each. For example, in commercial facilities and accommodation facilities, cleaning, sterilization, and other treatments are performed to maintain a hygienic state. In this regard, it has been proposed to determine the degree of dirt, etc., and to determine the treatment conditions, etc., depending on the degree of dirt, etc.

Patent document 1 discloses a cleaning method that includes a predetermined detection method for detecting a test substance such as a virus, and a cleaning process for removing the test substance from a target space depending on the detection result of the detection method (claim 19).

Patent Document 2 discloses a method for evaluating the sanitary state of a living environment, which includes a step of detecting the presence or absence of Methylobacterium bacteria in the living environment.

Patent document 3 discloses a method for determining the time to clean a toilet, and a method for determining the cleaning range of a toilet, which are composed of an installation process in which a specific toilet stain detection sheet or a specific toilet stain detection sheet laminate is placed in multiple locations in the area to be cleaned of the toilet, a determination process in which the degree of staining in the multiple locations is determined from the discoloration state of the installed sheet, and a timing determination process in which the time to clean the toilet is determined based on the determined degree of staining.

JP 2015-206671 A JP 2012-5455 A JP 2013-36189 A

When carrying out environmental treatments such as cleaning, bleaching, deodorizing, killing viruses, and sterilizing, chemicals appropriate for the treatment are often used; however, in various facilities, particularly commercial facilities, accommodation facilities, and manufacturing facilities, it is inefficient to apply chemicals to all locations. In other words, in such large-scale facilities, if the locations and timing of treatments such as cleaning could be efficiently determined, the labor and costs could be significantly reduced. In particular, preventing infection by viruses and bacteria is important in facilities used by an unspecified number of people, so an effective method for carrying out treatments reliably and efficiently is desired.

The present invention provides a method for determining sanitary treatments that can easily and reliably determine the locations and conditions under which sanitary treatments such as cleaning, disinfection, virucide, and sterilization can be effectively performed.

The present invention relates to a method for determining a location for sanitation treatment, which detects amylase in the environment and determines the location for sanitation treatment based on the detection results.

The present invention also relates to a method for determining sanitation treatment conditions, which detects amylase in the environment and determines sanitation treatment conditions based on the detection results.

The present invention also relates to a method for determining a sanitation treatment method, which detects amylase in the environment and determines the location and conditions for sanitation treatment based on the detection results.

The present invention also relates to a sanitation method in which at least one of the location where sanitation treatment is to be performed and the conditions for sanitation treatment is determined using the determination method of the present invention, and sanitation treatment is performed based on the determination.

The present invention also relates to a sanitation treatment kit that includes a means for detecting amylase in the environment and a chemical used to treat a sanitation treatment area determined based on the amylase detection results obtained by the means.

The present invention also relates to a method for detecting amylase in the environment and estimating locations where harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria are likely to exist based on the detection results.

The present invention also relates to a method for detecting amylase in the environment, and estimating locations where harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria are likely to exist based on the detection results, and estimating the route of infection.

The present invention also provides a method for displaying a contamination status at a candidate location for sanitary treatment, comprising the steps of:
(a) identifying one or more locations within an environment, the location or locations comprising:
and
(i) generating location data capable of identifying an installation location of an entity to identify said one or more locations within a defined area;
(ii) recording location data of the one or more locations in the environment; and (iii) recording entities linked to the location data of the one or more locations in the environment, separated into positions and locations;
(b) recording the detection of amylase from one or more locations within the environment;
(c) recording the generated detection results for each of the locations and parts of the entities recorded in (iii) of (a); and (d) displaying the records of (c) together with location data of the one or more locations in the environment.
The present invention relates to a method for displaying the contamination status of a candidate location for sanitary treatment, comprising:

The present invention also relates to a method for displaying sanitary treatment locations, which determines sanitary treatment locations based on the contamination status at candidate sanitary treatment locations displayed by the display method of the present invention, and displays them as sanitary treatment locations.

The present invention provides a method for determining a sanitary treatment location, sanitary treatment conditions, or sanitary treatment method, which can easily and reliably determine a location where sanitary treatment such as cleaning, disinfection, viricide, or sterilization can be effectively performed. The present invention also provides a method for easily and reliably estimating the location and infection route of harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria.

1 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for carrying out a method for displaying a contamination status according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a method for displaying a contamination status according to the present invention.

As used herein, "sanitary treatment" may refer to treatment applied to the environment to maintain health, such as removing "contaminants" from the "environment" or even from an "object", inactivating "contaminants", or both.
As used herein, the term "contaminant" refers to a substance that, when present in an object, poses a health risk, such as saliva, droplets from the oral cavity, etc. The droplets from the oral cavity may include saliva and substances associated with saliva, such as amylase. Furthermore, the "substances associated with saliva" may include viruses and/or bacteria (sometimes simply referred to as "germs"), as well as harmful viruses and/or harmful germs.
As used herein, "contamination" may refer to, for example, a change in the "environment" or even "object" from a situation in which contaminants, such as saliva and substances associated with saliva, such as amylase, are absent to a situation in which they are present in amounts that are detrimental to health.

Amylase is an enzyme contained in human saliva. The present invention has found that the level of detection of amylase attached to surfaces in the living environment correlates with the possibility of contamination by components containing amylase, and has found that contamination by viruses and/or bacteria can be efficiently prevented and removed by determining areas where the level of detection of amylase is high as areas with a high possibility of contamination and deciding on these areas as areas for sanitary treatment such as cleaning, disinfection, virucidal and sterilizing. Furthermore, the present invention has found that the possibility of the presence of harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria and the route of infection can be accurately estimated based on the level of detection of amylase. It has not been possible to determine the possibility of contamination and decide areas for sanitary treatment based on the level of detection of amylase, or to estimate the possibility of the presence of harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria, or further the route of infection, based on the level of detection of amylase.

In the present invention, amylase is detected in the environment. The environment may be a living environment, a natural environment, etc. The environment, particularly the living environment, may include buildings and public transportation. Furthermore, the buildings and public transportation may each include the fixtures associated therewith. There are no limitations on the size, use, etc. of the buildings.

Examples of the structure include a structure selected from commercial facilities, accommodation facilities, educational facilities, medical facilities, nursing care facilities, business facilities, and food and beverage facilities, and may be a complex of these. Examples of commercial facilities include shopping centers, supermarkets, cinema complexes, and amusement parks. Examples of accommodation facilities include hotels, inns, and private lodging facilities. Examples of educational facilities include schools and cultural centers. Examples of medical facilities include hospitals. Examples of nursing care facilities include care homes for the elderly. Examples of business facilities include office buildings and factories. Examples of food and beverage facilities include restaurants, coffee shops, and fast food restaurants.

The public transport means may be selected from rail vehicles, road vehicles, ships, and aircraft. Rail vehicles may be trains, diesel cars, etc. Road vehicles may be buses, etc. Ships may be passenger ships, etc. Aircraft may be passenger planes, etc.

In the present invention, the environment includes an object for detecting amylase (hereinafter, referred to as a detection object), and amylase can be detected on the surface of the detection object. The detection object may include, for example, a detection object selected from a building, fixtures of the building, public transportation, and fixtures of the public transportation. In the present invention, amylase can be detected on the surface of an object placed in a room as the detection object. The object may be either a fixed object or an unfixed object. The material of the object is also not limited. Examples of the object include furniture, electrical appliances, water-related items, building materials, fixtures, clothing, bedding, etc., and more specifically, examples of the object include items selected from tables, chairs, sinks, toilet seats, doorknobs, water faucets, switches, remote control devices (such as remote controllers for various devices), computer input devices (such as keyboards and mice), wallpaper, cloth ceilings, curtains, and carpets. Examples of articles include elevator switches installed in buildings, handrails of escalators installed in buildings, ticket vending machines for public transport, straps on trains, shopping baskets and carts frequently used in commercial facilities, etc. In the present invention, amylase can be detected on the surfaces of these articles, which are the detection targets.

In the present invention, the environment may be an area that is the subject of sanitary treatment (hereinafter, also referred to as the target area). Hereinafter, the term target area may mean the environment. The target area may be selected, for example, from buildings such as the above-mentioned commercial facilities, accommodation facilities, and business facilities, and public transportation facilities. A location for detecting amylase is selected from these target areas. The location for detecting amylase can be appropriately selected taking into consideration the purpose and size of the target area. In the present invention, an area in the environment that is the subject of sanitary treatment is defined, and amylase can be detected in the target area. That is, in the present invention, an area in the environment that is the subject of sanitary treatment is defined, and amylase can be detected in the detection target in the target area.

In the present invention, it is preferable to detect amylase on the surface of the detection target in the target region, and further to measure the amount of amylase as necessary. The amylase may be human-derived amylase.

The collection of a sample for detecting amylase from the surface of the detection object in the target region can be performed by contacting the surface of the detection object with an appropriate collection means, such as absorbent cotton, nonwoven fabric, sponge, etc. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a collection means having a support part and a sample collection part provided on the support for detecting amylase from the surface of the detection object. In the present invention, it is preferable to use a swab or cotton bud as the collection means. These may be for medical use or for specimen collection. The collection part can have various shapes such as a spherical shape or a longitudinal shape. In addition, the collection part may be composed of, for example, fibers, porous materials, etc. Specific examples of fibers include natural fibers such as cotton, synthetic fibers, and blended fibers thereof. Examples of porous materials include sponges. It is preferable that the collection part has liquid absorption properties. It is preferable that the collection part is kept wet with an appropriate liquid. In other words, it is preferable that the collection part carries a liquid. The amount of liquid carried by the collection part is preferably an amount that does not cause dripping. The dry mass of the collection part, for example, the fiber material or the porous material, is preferably, for example, 10 mg or more and 1000 mg or less. The liquid to be supported on the collection part may be, for example, water. The liquid may be an aqueous solution containing a surfactant, physiological saline, a buffer solution, etc., or a composition containing a combination of components blended therein. The surfactant may be selected from those that do not affect the detection of amylase. Examples of the surfactant include nonionic surfactants, and examples of the nonionic surfactant include polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers and polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers having an alkyl group with a carbon number of 6 to 22, an average number of moles of oxypropylene groups added being 0 to an average of 5, and an average number of moles of oxyethylene groups added being 5 to 50, as well as polyoxyalkylene adducts of esters of polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, pentaerythritol, and sorbitol with fatty acids. As the nonionic surfactant, for example, commercially available products under the trade names Triton X-100, Nonidet P-40 (NP-40), Tween 20, Tween 80, etc. can be used. The concentration of the surfactant in the liquid may be determined within a range that does not affect the detection of amylase. The concentration of the surfactant in the liquid may be, for example, 2% by mass or less, further 1% by mass or less, further 0.5% by mass or less, further 0.1% by mass or less, further 0.05% by mass or less, further 0.01% by mass or less, further 0.005% by mass or less.

In order to obtain common information by aligning the collection conditions at the sample collection location, for example, at a specific site, room, building, or area, it is preferable to use a collection means in which the same type of collection part carries approximately the same amount of liquid. In other words, since multiple collection means are usually used to collect samples, it is preferable that each of them has the same type of collection part and that the collection part carries the same amount of liquid at the initial stage before contacting the surface of the detection target. For this purpose, multiple supports in which the collection part is moistened with a predetermined amount of liquid and sealed in aluminum packaging or airtight containers may be prepared. In addition, when the collection part and the initial wetting liquid are separate, a method can be considered in which a certain amount of liquid is placed in a microtube or test tube in advance and sealed, and the tube is opened before use and brought into contact with the collection part to absorb the liquid, so that the collection part does not absorb more than a specific amount of water. In the case of a cotton swab, the amount of liquid carried by the collection part is preferably 10 mg or more, more preferably 30 mg or more, and even more preferably 90 mg or more, and preferably 1500 mg or less, 1000 mg or less, or 500 mg or less. The amount of liquid absorbed may vary depending on the test area and the properties of the collection part, but it is generally easy to use 200 mg or less, more preferably 100 mg. The ratio of liquid to the collection part (e.g., cotton of a cotton swab) is preferably 0.5 or more, more preferably 1 or more, even more preferably 2 or more, even more preferably 3 or more, and preferably 5 or less, more preferably 4 or less, by mass ratio.

Specific examples of the support include wood and resin. When amylase is not extracted immediately from the collected cotton swab, for example, when the sample is taken back to a laboratory other than the collection site for extraction, it is difficult to extract amylase, so a resin support is preferable. This is thought to be due to the influence of the liquid gradually moving from the collection part to the support part in the case of wood. When amylase is not extracted immediately from the collected cotton swab, it is preferable to store the collection means such as the cotton swab at a temperature of preferably 10°C or less, more preferably 5°C or less, and preferably 0°C or more, more preferably 2°C or more. It is preferable to transport and store the collection means within this temperature range. In this case, it is preferable to store the cotton swab in a sealed plastic container with a zip, a sample bottle, an aluminum package, or an airtight container. When amylase is not detected immediately from the extract collected from the collection site, it is preferable to store it at a low temperature, preferably 10°C or less, more preferably 5°C or less, and preferably 0°C or more, more preferably 2°C or more. It is preferable to transport and store the extract within this temperature range.

In addition, when the above-mentioned collection means is used, the test area targeted by one collection part is preferably 100 mm ² or more, more preferably 2000 mm ² or more, when the liquid supported on the collection part is 90 mg or more and 500 mg or less, and from the viewpoint of maintaining the wettability of the collection part and maintaining the wiping efficiency of amylase, it is preferably 30,000 mm ² or less, more preferably 10,000 mm ² or less. In the method of collecting samples by the above-mentioned collection means, when the test surface is wide, a square equivalent to the above-mentioned area is assumed as the target surface, and the number of contacts on the surface is determined to be 10 to 20 times in each direction of the vertical, horizontal, and diagonal (two diagonals), and the samples are collected. That is, it is preferable to collect samples on one surface a total of 4 times the number of contacts in one direction. If the test surface is curved or rectangular, a range close to the determined area may be set to collect samples.

When the collection means is used, the extraction of amylase from the collection part after contacting the surface of the detection target may be performed by contacting the collection part with an extracting liquid, for example, by immersing the collection part in an extracting liquid contained in a suitable container. The amount of the extracting liquid varies depending on the size of the collection part, but for example, in the case of a cotton swab, the amount of the extracting liquid is preferably 30 mg or more, more preferably 50 mg or more, and preferably 10,000 mg or less, more preferably 5,000 mg or less, and even more preferably 1,000 mg or less. Preferably, the amount of the extracting liquid is 0.1 times or more, even 0.5 times or more, and 10 times or less, even 5 times or less, and even 2 times or less of the amount of the liquid impregnated in the collection part, based on mass. In the case of immersion, the immersion time may be, for example, 10 seconds or more, even 1 minute or more, 5 minutes or more, 10 minutes or more, 30 minutes or more, 1 hour or more, 2 hours or more, and less than 48 hours, even 24 hours, 12 hours, or less than 6 hours. In the case of immersion, the immersion temperature can be a temperature at which amylase does not denature, for example, room temperature (for example, 10°C to 30°C). The extraction liquid may have the same composition as the liquid. The collection part may be left stationary while immersed in the extraction liquid, or an external force may be applied, for example, ultrasonic waves, stirring with a stirring device such as a vortex mixer, manual shaking, pressing with a rod, or pressing against the wall of a container. In addition, when a small amount of extraction liquid is used, the liquid may be separated from the collection part by centrifugation or pressing. Amylase may be detected from the extraction liquid obtained by contacting the collection part by such a method, for example, by a method using an antigen-antibody reaction and/or an enzyme reaction described later. In addition, a commercially available kit suitable for collection and extraction of amylase can be used, and in that case, amylase may be collected according to the method described in the kit. In addition, the liquid and the extraction liquid may be those attached to the kit.

One aspect of the present invention is a method for determining a sanitary treatment location, which involves detecting amylase on the surface of a detection target in the environment, and further on a detection target in the living environment, and determining the location where sanitary treatment should be performed based on the detection results.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method for determining a location for sanitary treatment, which involves detecting amylase on the surface of an object to be detected in the environment, and further on the surface of an object to be detected in the living environment, and determining a location for sanitary treatment based on the detection results, in which a sample is collected from the surface of the object to be detected using a collection means having a support part and a sample collection part provided on the support, preferably a swab and/or a cotton bud, and amylase is detected from the sample.

In the present invention, amylase is detected at different locations in the target area, and the location where amylase is detected relatively more among the locations where detection is performed can be selected as the location where sanitation treatment is performed.

In the present invention, amylase is detected in the target area, and the conditions of the sanitary treatment, such as the type of treatment, the type and amount of chemicals used in the treatment, the number of times the treatment is performed, etc., are determined based on the detection results. The conditions can be the same as those normally used by a person skilled in the art for each treatment, either as is or with modifications.

Locations where amylase is detected in large amounts are assumed to be locations where amylase or components containing amylase, such as saliva, are likely to adhere in various forms. Such locations are assumed to be locations that are likely to become contaminated by saliva or viruses and/or bacteria absorbed in saliva, even after cleaning has been performed. This may be taken into consideration when determining the locations and conditions for sanitation treatment based on the amylase detection results.

In the present invention, amylase is detected at different locations in the target area, and the sanitary treatment conditions can be determined based on the frequency of amylase detection and the amount of amylase detection. Specifically, amylase is detected at different locations in the target area, and the sanitary treatment conditions can be determined based on the amylase positivity rate and average amylase amount calculated from the detection results.
Here, the amylase positive rate is the ratio of the number of locations where amylase was detected to the total number of locations where amylase was detected, and is calculated by the following formula.
Amylase positive rate (%) = B/A x 100
A: number of locations where amylase was detected B: number of locations where amylase was detected The average amylase amount is the average amount of amylase at the locations where amylase was detected In this case, the amylase amount may be a result that indicates the detection amount relatively, for example, based on the detection intensity of the reagent.

The amylase positivity rate may be interpreted as the probability that the target area is contaminated, and the average amylase amount may be interpreted as the amount of contaminants that are attached to the target area on average. In the present invention, the possibility of contamination by viruses and/or bacteria can be determined based on the amylase detection result. In this case, the higher the values of the amylase positivity rate and the average amylase amount are in a location, the higher the risk of infection when a person touches the surface of the target area.
In the present invention, it is preferable to set a standard for determining the possibility of contamination by viruses and/or bacteria from the amylase positivity rate and the average amylase amount, and to determine the infection risk based on the standard. Specifically, the amylase positivity rate and the average amylase amount may each be set to a standard of two or more stages, preferably three or more stages, and ten or less stages, preferably five or less stages, to determine the infection risk and determine the priority of performing sanitary treatment. For example, the amylase positivity rate and the average amylase amount may be associated as shown in Table 1 below to perform risk determination and determine the priority of performing sanitary treatment. Note that the risk determination standard in Table 1 is an example, and the magnitude of the influence of the amylase positivity rate and the average amylase amount on the infection risk may be determined based on a standard different from that in Table 1.

In the present invention, when amylase is detected at different locations in a target area, measurements can be performed at a number of locations selected at a ratio of, for example, ¹ location or more, further 2 locations or more, further 3 locations or more, and 16 locations or less, further 9 locations or less, and further 6 locations or less per m2. The different locations may be selected in the same target object or in different target objects.

In the present invention, amylase can be detected by a method utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction and/or an enzyme reaction. Amylase in a target area may be detected, for example, directly on the surface of the object to be detected, or on a sample collected from the surface of the object to be detected. In the present invention, amylase is preferably detected by a method utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction. In the present invention, amylase is preferably detected by a method utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction that can specifically detect, for example, human salivary amylase. Examples of methods utilizing antigen-antibody reactions include immunochromatography, enzyme immunoassay (EIA, ELISA), immunoprecipitation, and immunoblotting. Commercially available products that measure the amount of amylase using antigen-antibody reactions may also be used.

In the present invention, the sanitation treatment may be a treatment applied to the target area where amylase detection has been performed. That is, in the present invention, for example, when amylase detection has been performed on the surface of a detection target, the sanitation treatment may be a sanitation treatment applied to the detection target and/or the environment containing the detection target.

In the present invention, a sanitation treatment may include a treatment that improves the sanitation of a target area, a treatment that maintains the sanitation of a target area, and the like.
In general, the sanitary condition of a living environment is improved and/or maintained by keeping it clean. In the present invention, for example, the sanitary treatment may include one or more treatments selected from purification, treatment to prevent adhesion of bacteria, and treatment to prevent adhesion of viruses. More specifically, the sanitary treatment may include one or more treatments selected from cleaning, bleaching, disinfection, sterilization, bacteriostatic, antibacterial, virucidal, antiviral, and virus removal. Each treatment can be carried out by a known method.

In the present invention, the sanitary treatment may be a treatment that reduces disadvantages caused by viruses and/or bacteria. That is, the viruses and/or bacteria targeted by the present invention may be harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria. The harm includes at least harm to humans. The harmful viruses may be non-enveloped or enveloped viruses, and may particularly be enveloped viruses. The treatment that reduces disadvantages caused by viruses and/or bacteria can be specifically selected from the treatments described above. The disadvantages caused by viruses and/or bacteria are typically infectious diseases.

In the present invention, the sanitary treatment may be a treatment using a sanitary treatment agent for at least one selected from cleaning, sterilization, and virucidal purposes (hereinafter referred to as a sanitary treatment agent).
The sanitary treatment agent may contain, for example, one or more selected from (a) a surfactant, (b) an oxidizing bleaching agent, and (c) a bactericide. The sanitary treatment agent may contain water. The sanitary treatment agent may be either a liquid or a solid, but is preferably a liquid, and more preferably a liquid containing water.

The (a) surfactant may be at least one selected from anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, and amphoteric surfactants.
Examples of the (a) surfactant include one or more selected from linear alkylbenzenesulfonic acid and its salts, alkyl sulfate esters and their salts, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfates and their salts, fatty acids and their salts, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, alkyl glycosides, alkylamine oxides, quaternary ammonium salts, and alkylamine ethylene oxide adducts.
The linear alkyl group of the linear alkylbenzenesulfonic acid may have 8 or more and 20 or less carbon atoms.
The alkyl group of the alkyl sulfate may have 8 or more and 20 or less carbon atoms.
The polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate may have an average added mole number of ethylene oxide of 1 or more and 30 or less, and the alkyl group may have 8 or more and 20 or less carbon atoms.
The number of carbon atoms of the fatty acid may be from 8 to 20. Examples of the salt include alkali metal salts such as sodium salts and potassium salts.
The polyoxyethylene alkyl ether may have an average added mole number of ethylene oxide of 1 or more and 30 or less, and the alkyl group may have 8 or more and 20 or less carbon atoms.
The alkyl glycoside may have an alkyl group having 8 to 20 carbon atoms.
The alkyl amine oxide may have an alkyl group having 8 or more and 20 or less carbon atoms.
Examples of the quaternary ammonium salt include benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and dialkyl (having 8 to 20 carbon atoms) dimethylammonium chloride.
The alkylamine ethylene oxide adduct may have an alkyl group having 8 to 20 carbon atoms, an average mole number of ethylene oxide added of 1 to 30, and the amine may be primary, secondary, or tertiary. An example of the alkylamine ethylene oxide adduct is a laurylamine ethylene oxide adduct.
Depending on the type of sanitary treatment, the sanitary treatment agent may contain, for example, 0.0001 mass % or more, further 0.001 mass % or more, further 0.01 mass %, further 0.1 mass %, and may contain 20 mass % or less, further 10 mass % or less, and further 5 mass % or less of a surfactant (a).

(b) Oxidative bleaching agents include hypochlorite, dichloroisocyanurate, hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate, and peracetic acid, with hypochlorite being preferred. Examples of salts include alkali metal salts such as sodium salts and potassium salts. Depending on the type of sanitary treatment, the sanitary treatment agent may contain, for example, 0.0001% by mass or more of (b) oxidative bleaching agent, further 0.001% by mass or more, further 0.01% by mass, further 0.1% by mass, further 1% by mass, and further 10% by mass or less, further 7.5% by mass or less, and further 5% by mass or less.

(c) The disinfectant may be one or more selected from the group consisting of disinfectant alcohols and disinfectant organic acids.

The germicidal alcohol may be one or more selected from ethanol and propanol. Depending on the type of sanitary treatment, the sanitary treatment agent may contain germicidal alcohol in an amount of, for example, 0.1% by mass or more, further 1% by mass or more, further 10% by mass, further 40% by mass, and 95% by mass or less, further 90% by mass or less, and further 85% by mass or less.

Examples of germicidal organic acids include lactic acid or its salts. Examples of salts include alkali metal salts such as sodium salts and potassium salts. Depending on the type of sanitary treatment, the sanitary treatment agent may contain germicidal organic acids in an amount of, for example, 0.01% by mass or more, further 0.1% by mass or more, further 0.4% by mass or more, and further 7% by mass or less, further 5% by mass or less, and further 3% by mass or less.

(c) The disinfectant may be one or more selected from ethanol, propanol, lactic acid, and salts of lactic acid.

The sanitary treatment agent preferably contains two or more selected from (a) a surfactant, (b) an oxidizing bleach, and (c) a disinfectant.

In the present invention, the sanitary treatment may include contacting the treatment area with a sanitary treatment agent and wiping the treatment area with the sanitary treatment agent with a flexible liquid-absorbing material. In the present invention, the sanitary treatment agent can be contacted with the treatment area by at least one of contacting the treatment area with a flexible liquid-absorbing material impregnated with the sanitary treatment agent and spraying the sanitary treatment agent onto the treatment area. For example, by wiping the treatment area with a flexible liquid-absorbing material impregnated with the sanitary treatment agent, the treatment area can be wiped while the sanitary treatment agent is in contact with the treatment area. Spraying can be performed, for example, using a trigger-type pump. Examples of flexible liquid-absorbing materials include nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics, and sponges.

The present invention provides a method for determining a sanitation treatment method, which detects amylase in an environment and determines the location where sanitation treatment should be performed and the conditions for the sanitation treatment based on the detection results.
In this method, the method for determining the location where sanitary treatment is to be performed may be the method for determining the location of sanitary treatment of the present invention.
In addition, the method for determining the sanitary treatment conditions in this method may be the method for determining the sanitary treatment conditions of the present invention.
The sanitary treatment method is determined based on the location where the sanitary treatment is to be performed and the sanitary treatment conditions thus determined.

In the present invention, amylase detection is performed to determine the location and/or sanitation conditions where sanitation treatment is performed. In the present invention, amylase detection may be performed each time sanitation treatment is performed, but it is not necessary to perform it every time. In addition, for example, if the type, degree, frequency, and other sanitation treatment methods for each location are compiled into a manual based on the information on the location and/or conditions determined by the present invention, highly sanitary treatment can be continued without necessarily detecting amylase thereafter, unless the use of the location changes significantly. In addition, once the location and/or sanitation conditions where sanitation treatment is performed are determined, amylase detection can be performed periodically or irregularly, and it is acceptable to only confirm the quality and effectiveness of the determined sanitation treatment method.

By using the determination method of the present invention, it is possible to provide support for sanitation treatment, for example, for the aforementioned buildings, public transportation routes, and their equipment. In other words, information on the sanitation treatment method determined by the present invention can be provided to the person who carries out the sanitation treatment, allowing the specified sanitation treatment to be carried out reliably and efficiently.

A more specific embodiment of the present invention is a method for determining a sanitation treatment method, which comprises detecting amylase in a target area, determining a location where amylase is detected as a location that may be contaminated by a virus and/or bacteria, and determining the conditions for sanitation treatment to be performed on the determined location based on the amylase detection result. The matters described in each of the above-mentioned determination methods of the present invention can be appropriately applied to this method.
Another more specific embodiment of the present invention is a method for determining a sanitation treatment method, which comprises detecting amylase in a building, for example, indoors and/or outdoors, determining a location where amylase is detected as a location that may be contaminated by viruses and/or bacteria, and determining the conditions for sanitation treatment to be performed on the determined location based on the amylase detection result. The matters described in each of the above-mentioned determination methods of the present invention can be appropriately applied to this method.

According to the present invention, there is provided a sanitary treatment method in which at least one of the location where sanitary treatment is to be performed and the conditions for the sanitary treatment are determined by the determination method of the present invention, and sanitary treatment is performed based on the determination.
That is, the sanitary treatment method of the present invention is
(1) determining the location where sanitary treatment is to be performed by the determination method of the present invention, and performing sanitary treatment on the determined location;
(2) determining the conditions for sanitary treatment by the determination method of the present invention, and performing sanitary treatment under the determined conditions; or (3) determining the location where sanitary treatment will be performed and the conditions for sanitary treatment by the determination method of the present invention, and performing sanitary treatment of the determined location under the determined conditions.
This is a sanitary treatment method.
The matters described in the determination method of the present invention can be appropriately applied to the sanitary treatment method of the present invention. It is also preferable that the sanitary treatment in the sanitary treatment method of the present invention is performed using a sanitary treatment agent. Specific examples and preferred examples of the sanitary treatment and the sanitary treatment agent can also be applied to those described in the determination method of the present invention.

The present invention provides a method for detecting amylase in an environment and, based on the detection results, inferring locations where harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria are likely to exist.
The present invention also provides a method for detecting amylase in an environment, estimating locations where harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria are likely to exist based on the detection results, and estimating the infection route, i.e., the infection route caused by the harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria. The infection route here may be an infection route to a human. The infection route may be either a route for an infection that has already occurred or a route for an infection that is expected to occur in the future.
The estimation method of the present invention also includes estimating the location or infection route where harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria are likely to exist, even in an unfamiliar environment, through empirical knowledge or artificial intelligence (AI) based on the accumulation of past data. Amylase may also be detected after the estimation.
To these methods, the matters described above in relation to each of the determination methods of the present invention can be appropriately applied.
In these methods, the harmful virus may also be a non-enveloped or enveloped virus, in particular an enveloped virus.

Examples of harmful bacteria include Streptococcus pneumoniae. Examples of non-enveloped viruses include adenovirus, rhinovirus, and norovirus. Examples of enveloped viruses include SARS-CoV-2, influenza, SARS, MARS, and RS virus.

The present invention provides a sanitation treatment kit that includes a means for detecting amylase in a target area and a chemical used to treat a sanitation treatment location determined by the amylase detection result obtained by the means. Examples of the means for measuring the amount of amylase include immunochromatography, enzyme immunoassay (EIA, ELISA), immunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, enzyme activity measurement, etc. Examples of the chemical include cleaning agents, bleaches, disinfectants, virucides, antiviral agents, germicides, and antibacterial agents.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for displaying a contamination status at a candidate location for sanitary treatment, comprising the steps of:
(a) identifying one or more locations within an environment, the step including the steps of:
(i) generating location data capable of identifying an installation location of an entity to identify said one or more locations within a defined area;
(ii) recording location data of the one or more locations in the environment; and (iii) recording entities linked to the location data of the one or more locations in the environment, separated into positions and locations;
(b) recording the detection of amylase from one or more locations within the environment;
(c) recording the generated detection results for each of the locations and parts of the entities recorded in (iii) of (a); and (d) displaying the records of (c) together with location data of the one or more locations in the environment.
A method for indicating the contamination status of a candidate site for sanitary treatment is provided, comprising:
The method for displaying the contamination status of the present invention is preferably performed by an information processing device (such as a PC or a smartphone). In other words, the recording of each data in each step is preferably performed by an information processing device. The procedure of the method for displaying the contamination status of a candidate site for sanitary treatment of the present invention is outlined in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, ST stands for step. In FIG. 1, step (a), which is not shown, is executed by ST(a)-(i), ST(a)-(ii), and ST(a)-(iii).

Step (a) is the step of identifying one or more locations in the environment, suitably selecting locations in the environment that are candidates for sanitation treatment, for example items in a room, or even items in a toilet.
Step (i) [ST(a)-(i) in FIG. 1 ] is a step of generating position data capable of identifying the installation location of an actual object in order to identify the one or more locations within the defined area. The area may be, for example, a predetermined area within a room. The actual object may be, for example, an object within a room, and further, an object within a toilet. The position data is, for example, data indicating the location of the object within the room.
Step (ii) [ST(a)-(ii) in FIG. 1] is a step of recording position data of the one or more locations within the environment.
Step (iii) [ST(a)-(iii) in FIG. 1] is a step of classifying and recording the actual objects linked to the position data of the one or more locations in the environment into positions and parts. For example, if there are multiple objects with the same attribute in a room, they are classified and information is created and recorded for each. Specifically, if there are two chairs in a room, they are classified as chair A and chair B, and their respective position data are recorded. Furthermore, if each chair has two armrests, they can be further divided into armrest A1 and armrest A2, and their position data can be created. Of course, this processing method can be applied to other actual objects (objects, etc.).

Step (b) [ST(b) in FIG. 1] is a step of recording the detection results of amylase detected at one or more locations in the environment. Amylase is detected at the position and site of the entity separated in step (iii) of step (a). The detection results can be obtained, for example, by the detection method adopted in the method for determining a sanitary treatment location of the present invention.

Step (c) [ST(c) in Figure 1] is a step of recording the generated detection results by linking them with the classified positions and parts of the real object recorded in step (iii) of step (a). This step (c) records the detection results of the real object at the specified position and the detection results of the real object at the specified position and the specified part of the real object, linking the position and part of the real object with the detection results.

Step (d) [ST(d) in FIG. 1] is a step of displaying the record of step (c) together with the position data of the one or more locations in the environment. The display is performed, for example, on an information display terminal such as an external monitor for a personal computer or a smartphone screen.

For example, in FIG. 1, ST(a)-(i) through ST(d) are treated as one unit, and ST(a)-(i) through ST(d) are repeated until a predetermined number of times is reached, and the process can be terminated after the predetermined number of times is reached.
Also, for example, in FIG. 1, ST(a)-(i) to ST(d) are treated as one unit, and ST(a)-(i) to ST(d) can be repeated at a predetermined interval and terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed.

The present invention provides a method for displaying sanitation treatment locations, which determines sanitation treatment locations based on the contamination status at candidate sanitation treatment locations displayed by the display method of the present invention, and displays the locations as sanitation treatment locations. The method for displaying sanitation treatment locations of the present invention is preferably performed by an information processing device (PC, smartphone, etc.). In the method for displaying sanitation treatment locations of the present invention, it is possible to determine sanitation treatment locations based on data on multiple candidate sanitation treatment locations obtained at different measurement times for one or multiple locations in the environment identified in step (a). For example, AI can be used to determine the sanitation treatment locations. That is, for example, data such as amylase detection results, locations and items where amylase was detected, and past infection occurrence status can be accumulated, and sanitation treatment locations can be determined using AI.

The method for displaying candidate sanitary treatment locations and/or the method for displaying sanitary treatment locations of the present invention can be incorporated into the method for determining sanitary treatment locations, the method for determining sanitary treatment conditions, the method for determining and the method for estimating sanitary treatment methods of the present invention. For example, the method for displaying sanitary treatment locations of the present invention can determine the possibility of contamination by viruses and/or bacteria based on the contamination status in the method for displaying contamination status of the present invention, and determine sanitary treatment locations from the determination results. The determination of the possibility of contamination may include estimating the possibility of contamination.
The results displayed by the present invention can be printed out on paper or other media as necessary. The electronic data of the displayed results can be stored in an appropriate storage medium. The electronic data of the displayed results can be used secondarily via an information and communication network (Internet), for example, for services such as creating a sanitary treatment implementation plan and providing guidance on sanitary treatment procedures based on the implementation plan.

The following are examples of aspects of the present invention. To these aspects, the matters described in the method for determining a sanitary treatment location, the method for determining sanitary treatment conditions, the method for determining a sanitary treatment method, the sanitary treatment method, the sanitary treatment kit, the estimation method, the method for displaying the contamination status at a candidate sanitary treatment location, and the method for displaying a sanitary treatment location of the present invention can be appropriately applied.

＜1＞
A method for determining locations for sanitation treatment, which involves detecting amylase in the environment and determining locations for sanitation treatment based on the detection results.

＜2＞
A determination method described in <1>, in which amylase is detected at different locations in the environment, and the location where amylase is detected more frequently among the locations detected is determined to be the location where hygiene treatment is performed.

＜3＞
A method for determining a sanitary treatment location described in <1> or <2>, which determines the possibility of contamination by viruses and/or bacteria based on the detection results of amylase, and determines the location where sanitary treatment should be performed from the determination results.

＜4＞
A method for determining sanitation treatment conditions, comprising detecting amylase in an environment and determining sanitation treatment conditions based on the detection results.

＜5＞
The method of determining amylase according to <4>, further comprising detecting amylase at different locations in the environment and determining sanitation treatment conditions based on the detection frequency and amount of amylase detected.

＜6＞
The method according to <4> or <5>, further comprising determining the possibility of viral and/or bacterial contamination based on the results of amylase detection, and determining the conditions for sanitary treatment from the results of the determination.

＜７＞
A method for determining a sanitation treatment method, comprising detecting amylase in an environment and determining the location and conditions for sanitation treatment based on the detection results.

＜8＞
The method of determining whether amylase is present in the environment is described in <7>, in which amylase is detected at different locations in the environment, and the location where amylase is detected more frequently among the locations where amylase is detected is determined to be the location where sanitation treatment is performed.

＜9＞
The method for determining amylase according to <7> or <8>, further comprising detecting amylase at different locations in the environment, and determining sanitation treatment conditions based on the detection frequency and amount of amylase detected.

＜10＞
The method according to any one of <7> to <9>, wherein the possibility of contamination by a virus and/or a bacteria is determined based on the detection result of amylase, and the location where sanitation treatment is performed and/or the conditions of the sanitation treatment are determined based on the determination result.

<11>
The method according to any one of <1> to <10>, wherein the sanitation treatment is a treatment for reducing disadvantages caused by viruses and/or bacteria.

＜12＞
The method according to any one of <1> to <10>, wherein the sanitary treatment includes one or more treatments selected from the group consisting of purification, a treatment for preventing adhesion of bacteria, and a treatment for preventing adhesion of viruses.

＜13＞
The method for determining amylase according to any one of <1> to <12>, wherein the detection of amylase is carried out by a method utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction and/or an enzyme reaction.

＜14＞
The method for determining amylase according to any one of <1> to <13>, wherein the detection of amylase is carried out by a method utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction.

＜15＞
The method according to any one of <1> to <14>, wherein the amylase is a human amylase.

＜16＞
The method according to any one of <1> to <15>, wherein the environment is a living environment.

＜１７＞
The method for determining amylase according to any one of <1> to <16>, wherein the environment includes an object to be detected for amylase (hereinafter, referred to as a detection object), and amylase is detected on the surface of the detection object.

＜18＞
The determination method according to <17>, wherein the detection object includes a detection object selected from a building, a building fixture, a public transport facility, and fixtures of a public transport facility.

＜19＞
The method of determining the location of the building is described in <18>, wherein the building is a building selected from commercial facilities, accommodation facilities, educational facilities, medical facilities, nursing care facilities, business facilities, and food and beverage facilities, and the public transportation is a public transportation selected from rail vehicles, road vehicles, ships, and aircraft.

＜20＞
The method according to any one of <17> to <19>, wherein the detection object is selected from a table, a chair, a sink, a toilet seat, a doorknob, a water faucet, a switch, a remote control device, and a computer input device.

＜21＞
The method according to any one of <1> to <20>, wherein the sanitary treatment is a treatment using a sanitary treatment agent for at least one selected from cleaning, sterilization, and virucidal purposes.

＜22＞
The method for determining the concentration of a disinfectant according to <21>, wherein the hygiene treatment agent contains one or more selected from (a) a surfactant, (b) an oxidizing bleach, and (c) a disinfectant.

＜23＞
The method for determining the concentration of a disinfectant according to <21> or <22>, wherein the hygiene treatment agent contains two or more selected from (a) a surfactant, (b) an oxidizing bleach, and (c) a disinfectant.

＜24＞
(a) The method for determining the amount of the surfactant according to <22> or <23>, wherein the surfactant is at least one selected from linear alkylbenzenesulfonic acid and its salts, fatty acids and their salts, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, alkyl glycosides, alkylamine oxides, quaternary ammonium salts, and alkylamine ethylene oxide adducts.

＜25＞
(b) The method for determining the amount of the oxidative bleach according to any one of <22> to <24>, wherein the oxidative bleach is a hypochlorite.

＜26＞
(c) The method according to any one of <22> to <25>, wherein the bactericide is one or more selected from a bactericidal alcohol and a bactericidal organic acid.

＜27＞
(c) The method according to any one of <22> to <26>, wherein the disinfectant is one or more selected from ethanol, propanol, lactic acid, and salts of lactic acid.

＜28＞
The method according to any one of <21> to <27>, wherein the sanitary treatment includes contacting the sanitary treatment agent with the treatment area and wiping the treatment area contacted with the sanitary treatment agent with a flexible liquid-absorbing material.

＜29＞
The method according to <28>, wherein the contact of the sanitary treatment agent with the treatment site is carried out by at least one of contacting the treatment site with a flexible liquid-absorbent material impregnated with the sanitary treatment agent and spraying the sanitary treatment agent on the treatment site.

＜30＞
A sanitary treatment method, comprising determining at least one of a location where sanitary treatment is to be performed and conditions for the sanitary treatment by the method according to any one of <1> to <29>, and performing sanitary treatment based on the determination.

＜31＞
The sanitary treatment method according to <30>, wherein the sanitary treatment is a treatment using a sanitary treatment agent for at least one selected from cleaning, sterilization, and virucidal purposes.

＜32＞
The sanitary treatment method according to <31>, wherein the sanitary treatment agent contains one or more selected from the group consisting of (a) a surfactant, (b) an oxidizing bleach, and (c) a disinfectant.

＜33＞
The sanitary treatment method according to <31> or <32>, wherein the sanitary treatment agent contains two or more selected from (a) a surfactant, (b) an oxidizing bleach, and (c) a disinfectant.

＜34＞
The sanitary treatment method according to <32> or <33>, wherein the surfactant (a) is at least one selected from linear alkylbenzenesulfonic acid and its salts, fatty acids and their salts, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, alkyl glycosides, alkylamine oxides, quaternary ammonium salts, and alkylamine ethylene oxide adducts.

＜35＞
(b) The sanitary treatment method according to any one of <32> to <34>, wherein the oxidative bleaching agent is a hypochlorite.

＜36＞
(c) The sanitary treatment method according to any one of <32> to <35>, wherein the bactericide is one or more selected from a bactericidal alcohol and a bactericidal organic acid.

＜３７＞
(c) The sanitary treatment method according to any one of <32> to <36>, wherein the disinfectant is one or more selected from ethanol, propanol, lactic acid, and salts of lactic acid.

＜３８＞
A sanitation treatment kit comprising: a means for detecting amylase in the environment; and an agent for treating a sanitation treatment location determined based on the amylase detection results obtained by the means.

＜３９＞
An estimation method which detects amylase in the environment and, based on the detection results, estimates locations where harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria are likely to exist.

＜40＞
A method for predicting amylase in the environment, and based on the detection results, predicting locations where harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria are likely to be present, and predicting the route of infection.

＜41＞
The method for estimation according to <39> or <40>, wherein the harmful virus is an enveloped virus.

＜42＞
A method for displaying a contamination status at a candidate location for sanitary treatment, comprising:
(a) identifying one or more locations within an environment, the step including the steps of:
(i) generating location data capable of identifying an installation location of an entity to identify said one or more locations within a defined area;
(ii) recording location data of the one or more locations in the environment; and (iii) recording entities linked to the location data of the one or more locations in the environment, separated into positions and locations;
(b) recording the detection of amylase from one or more locations within the environment;
(c) recording the generated detection results for each of the locations and parts of the entities recorded in (iii) of (a); and (d) displaying the records of (c) together with location data of the one or more locations in the environment.
A method for displaying the contamination status of a candidate location for sanitary treatment, comprising:

＜43＞
A method for displaying sanitary treatment locations, which determines sanitary treatment locations based on the contamination status at candidate sanitary treatment locations displayed by the display method of <42> and displays them as sanitary treatment locations.

＜44＞
The method for indicating a sanitary treatment point described in <43>, further comprising determining the possibility of contamination by viruses and/or bacteria based on the contamination status, and determining a sanitary treatment point from the determination result.

<Example 1 and Comparative Example 1>
(1) Example 1
The contamination risk was assessed for commercial facilities (shopping centers).
The commercial facility was divided into three areas: (1) sales area, (2) dining area, and (3) rest area, and amylase was detected at the test points in each area. From the detection results, the average amylase amount and amylase positivity rate were calculated for each area, and the contamination risk was determined based on Table 1 below. The results are shown in Table 2.

At each test site, a 25 ^cm2 area was wiped with a clean cotton swab. Amylase was detected from the wiped cotton swab using an immunochromatography kit (Independent Forensics, RSID (registered trademark) SALIVA [model number: 0100]). If amylase was not detected at the target test site, it was recorded as negative "-", and if it was detected, it was recorded as positive "+". If it was positive, the amount of amylase was visually evaluated in three stages according to the density of the test line band. If the band was barely visible, it was recorded as +1, if it was clearly visible, it was recorded as +2, and if it was darkly visible, it was recorded as +3. It can be judged that the larger the + value, the greater the amount of amylase attached.
When an amylase solution of known concentration was measured, the amount of amylase corresponding to each judgment result was as follows: "-" is less than 10 ng per 25 ^cm2 area, "+1" is 10 to less than 25 ng, "+2" is 25 to less than 60 ng, and "+3" is 60 ng or more.

The above-mentioned testing method can be performed in a manualized form, and a kit suitable for the contents of the manual, for example, a kit suitable for performance under the following conditions (hereinafter referred to as Manual Example 1), can be used.
Wetting liquid: 0.1 ml of an aqueous solution of pH 7 containing 0.05% Tween 80 in distilled water, sealed in a 0.5 ml microtube. Collection part: a 75 mm long cotton swab with 30 mg of absorbent cotton wrapped around one end (excluding the indicator). Extraction liquid: 0.1 ml of an aqueous solution of pH 7 containing 0.05% Tween 80 in distilled water, sealed in a squeezable tube. Collection method: When using, the cotton swab is inserted into the microtube to absorb the wetting liquid.

When the procedure under the above conditions is followed, a predetermined area, for example an area of 50 mm x 50 mm, is selected from the surface of the test object, for example the surface of the object, and the moistened sampling part is brought into contact with the surface vertically, horizontally, diagonally to the right and left (the order of vertically, horizontally and diagonally does not matter). It is preferable to contact the surface of the cotton swab evenly, for example by treating the cotton swab as a square prism and distributing each direction to each surface, but it is sufficient to contact the cotton swab in such a way that the sampling part is not used in an unbalanced manner so that the liquid does not run out.
The sampled swab or other supporting part may be placed directly in a suitable container, such as a plastic ziplock container or a sample bottle, or the container may contain an extracting liquid. Amylase is extracted from the sampled swab or other supporting part (obtaining a liquid containing amylase) and amylase is detected and quantified by the following method. After collection, the sample may be moved to another location and the extraction operation may be performed in a take-home workroom.
Extraction method: The collection part of the cotton swab was dipped into the extraction liquid and the cotton ball was rubbed over the top of the tube.
Detection method: For example, amylase is detected by mixing 0.08 mL of the accompanying running buffer and 0.02 mL of the extract solution and dropping the mixture into a commercially available immunochromatography kit (Independent Forensics, RSID (registered trademark) SALIVA [model number: 0100]).
Quantification method: By minimizing the error of the above-mentioned collection method, amylase can be quantified from the intensity of the band at the detection site. Serial dilutions of amylase solutions of known concentrations can be measured, and the intensity of the band can be visually judged as a color scale, or a commercially available immunochromatography reader can be used for quantification.
The above collection method may be set so as to facilitate processing with a commercially available amylase measurement kit.

(2) Comparative Example 1
The ATP amount (RLU) was measured at the test points in each area of the same commercial facility as in Example 1. The average ATP amount for each area was calculated from the measurement results. The results are shown in Table 2. The ATP amount was measured by wiping the target area of about 25 ^cm2 with a LuciPac Pen manufactured by Kikkoman Biochemifa Corporation, and using the same company's Lumitester Smart according to the method in the instructions attached to the product.

The average ATP amount of Comparative Example 1 contains not only viruses and/or bacteria, but also other organic matter such as dirt. On the other hand, as shown in Reference Example 3 described later, it is suggested that there is a correlation between the amount of amylase and the amount of virus. Therefore, it can be determined that the contamination risk level based on the amylase detection result of Example 1 is more reliable than the contamination risk level based on the average ATP amount of Comparative Example 1.
In Example 1, the amylase-contaminated area, i.e., the area likely to be contaminated by a component containing amylase, could be estimated by measuring the amount of amylase. This could not be estimated from the amount of ATP. For example, in Comparative Example 1 in Table 2, the ATP amount of the floor (1) was 18,860 RLU, which was greater than the ATP amount of the shopping cart handle (1) of 17,973 RLU, but in Example 1, the amylase amount was greater in the former.
Based on the results of Example 1, sanitary treatment of environmental surface contamination by amylase and components containing amylase can be performed only in the areas where amylase is detected, which can improve the efficiency of the treatment. In addition, based on the results of Example 1, it is possible to estimate areas where harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria are likely to exist, and further to estimate the route of infection to humans.
In Example 1, areas were set up as sales area, dining area, and rest area, and the contamination risk was evaluated based on the amylase detection results for each area. As a result, the contamination risk of the dining area and rest area was higher than that of the sales area. Therefore, it is possible to suggest allocating more sanitation effort (materials and manpower) to the dining area and rest area. When the average ATP amount by area is calculated as in Comparative Example 1, the value for the sales area is higher than that of the rest area, and it can be seen that the trend is different from that of Example 1.

<Example 2 and Comparative Example 2>
(1) Example 2
The contamination risk was assessed in hotel rooms.
For eight guest rooms in the same hotel, the amount of amylase was measured in the same manner as in Example 1 at the test points shown in Table 3, and the average value of the eight rooms was calculated to determine the average amylase amount. The amylase positivity rate was calculated from the measurement results, and the contamination risk level was determined based on Table 1. The results are shown in Table 3. An example of a case in which the contamination status is displayed based on the results of Example 2 is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows an overview of a hotel guest room and the test points, and the black circle attached to the test point indicates the average amylase amount. The size of the black circle correlates with the average amylase amount, and the larger the circle, the higher the average amylase amount.

(2) Comparative Example 2
The ATP amount (RLU) was measured at the test locations in eight guest rooms in the same hotel as in Example 2 in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1. The average ATP amount was calculated for each test location from the measurement results. The results are shown in Table 3.

The contamination risk assessment of Example 2 allowed a proposal of prioritizing locations for which thorough sanitary treatment should be performed or sanitary treatment should be given priority. On the other hand, in Comparative Example 2, for example, the amount of ATP was the smallest at the edge of the washbasin sink, which had the highest contamination risk in Example 2, and it was found that the tendency was different from that of Example 2. In addition, based on the results of Example 2, it is possible to estimate locations where harmful viruses and/or harmful bacteria are likely to exist, and further to estimate the route of infection to humans.
The contamination status in Fig. 2 can be displayed on an output device of an information processing device (PC, smartphone, etc.). By displaying the contamination status as in Fig. 2, the relationship between the inspection location and the contamination status can be visually and easily understood. Furthermore, sanitary treatment locations can be determined based on the contamination status displayed in Fig. 2 and displayed as sanitary treatment locations.

<Reference Example 1>
The effectiveness of sanitation treatment was evaluated using a table in a commercial facility where amylase was detected in Example 1 (test area: dining area, a table different from test points (1), (2), and (3)).
The table was sanitized by wiping it once vertically and once horizontally with a cloth moistened with tap water or a cloth moistened with a commercially available medical detergent (Medical Cleaner, Kao Corporation) diluted 200 times with tap water. Wiping with a cloth moistened with tap water and a cloth moistened with a commercially available medical detergent were performed on different tables.
Before and after the sanitary treatment, the amylase level was measured in the same manner as in Example 1, and the ATP level was measured in the same manner as in Comparative Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4.

From the results in Table 4, it was determined that wiping with a medical cleaning agent was more effective at reducing amylase levels in the equipment at this facility than wiping with water.

<Reference Example 2>
Amylase was detected in the following cases: (1) when someone sneezed indoors, (2) when three people ate at a table indoors, and (3) when a web conference was held using a computer indoors.
(1) In the experiment, one subject stood in a room with the windows and doors closed and sneezed five times without wearing a mask, and amylase was detected directly below the subject and at points 50 cm, 1 m, and 2 m away from the subject.
(2) Three subjects sat at a four-person table (without partitions) and ate for 30 minutes while talking without masks, and amylase was detected in the middle of the table, between the two people sitting next to each other.
(3) One subject sat at a desk, wore a mask, and participated in a 2.5 hour web conference using a computer, and amylase was detected on the computer keyboard.
The detection of amylase was carried out in the same manner as in Example 1. The locations where amylase was detected in large amounts were locations where there was a high probability of saliva-derived stains being present. The results are shown in Table 5.

How saliva droplets will disperse in the above situations (1) to (3) has been predicted, for example, by simulations using the supercomputer "Fugaku." The results in Table 5 were confirmed to correlate with such predicted results. Therefore, it is highly likely that the locations where amylase was detected in Examples 1 and 2 are locations contaminated by saliva droplets expelled from a person's mouth.

<Reference Example 3>
A bacteriophage MS2 solution (10 ¹² PFU/mL) was mixed with saliva so that the bacteriophage MS2 concentration was 10 ¹⁰ PFU/mL. 0.1 mL of this solution was measured and applied to a PP (polypropylene) plate in an area of 4 cm x 4 cm, and left to dry for 1 hour in a safety cabinet. This was the initial attachment site. The following operations were performed from the initial attachment site.
Any part of the initial attachment site was lightly rubbed once with a clean finger, and then a new uncontaminated PP plate was lightly rubbed once with the finger. This operation was repeated five times. The uncontaminated PP plate was rubbed within an area of 4 cm x 4 cm. The rubbed part with the new PP plate was designated as the transmission site (1). The same operation was performed from the transmission site (1) to another new PP plate, which was designated as the transmission site (2). Furthermore, the same operation was performed from the transmission site (2) to another new PP plate, which was designated as the transmission site (3). The initial attachment site and the transmission sites (1) to (3) were wiped thoroughly with a sterile cotton swab moistened with sterile water. The cotton swab was immersed in 0.2 mL of the extraction buffer (RSID (registered trademark) SALIVA Extraction Buffer) provided with the kit, and an extract of the wiped components was prepared. Of the extract, 0.1 mL was used to measure the amount of virus by plaque assay described below, and the remainder was used to measure the amount of amylase by an immunochromatography kit (Independent Forensics, RSID (registered trademark) SALIVA [model number: 0100]). The results are shown in Table 5.

[Plaque assay method]
LB agar medium (agar concentration: 1.5%) with calcium chloride added to a final concentration of 2.25 mM was sterilized by high-pressure steam, and 15 mL was poured into a petri dish (Nissui Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nissui sterilized shallow petri dish [model number: 06300]) and left to solidify at room temperature. LB agar medium (agar concentration 0.6%) with calcium chloride added to a final concentration of 2.25 mM was sterilized by high-pressure steam and kept at about 40°C, and 4 mL was taken and mixed with 0.9 mL of E. coli liquid (OD600 = 0.4) and 0.1 mL of the above extract, and poured onto the solidified petri dish to layer. This was left to stand overnight at 37°C, and the number of parts (plaques) of E. coli on the agar that were infected with the virus and dissolved was counted as the virus amount (PFU/ ^cm2 ).

The method of this reference example confirmed the transmission of saliva through hand contact. Therefore, it was suggested that the locations where amylase was detected in Examples 1 and 2 may not only be the locations of droplet adhesion, but also the locations of saliva transmission through contact with objects such as hands. In addition, since it was confirmed in this reference example that the trends in the progression of virus amount and amylase amount due to transmission are similar, the locations where amylase was detected in a real environment are considered to be locations where there is a risk of contamination by components containing amylase, such as saliva, and ultimately viruses and/or bacteria in saliva, regardless of the amylase adhesion mode (transmission by droplet adhesion or contact). In addition, this result suggests that the detection results of amylase can be used to estimate the route of infection by viruses and/or bacteria.

<Reference Example 4>
A polypropylene substrate was prepared by applying 5 μL of 20-fold diluted saliva (collected from a 30-year-old male) and drying. Amylase was measured from each substrate according to the above-mentioned Manual Example 1. However, the cotton swabs used as the collection part were (1) those with a wooden support (Japan Cotton Swab Company, cotton swab with test tube CTB-15) and (2) those with a resin support (Eiken Chemical Company, γ Collect Swab R, TC2400). Amylase was quantified in the following groups: (I) those in which the swabs were quantified immediately after collection, (II) those in which the swabs were stored at 4°C for 4 or 10 days after collection and then quantified, and (III) those in which the swabs were stored at 25°C for 4 or 10 days after collection and then quantified. The swabs were stored in the test tubes attached to each cotton swab. The amount of amylase was quantified in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 7.

From Table 7, it can be seen that when a cotton swab with a wooden support is used, the detection sensitivity decreases when stored at 25°C. When the support is wooden, the detection strength was maintained for four days by storing at 4°C, but the detection sensitivity decreased after 10 days, so it can be seen that low-temperature storage is preferable when the support is wooden. On the other hand, when a cotton swab with a resin support was used, the detection sensitivity was maintained for four days even at 25°C, so it can be seen that when the process includes storing the cotton swab after collection, a resin support for the cotton swab is preferable to a wood support.

<Reference Example 5>
A number of substrates were prepared with saliva attached in the same manner as in Reference Example 4, and amylase was quantified from each substrate in the same manner as in Reference Example 4. However, the cotton swabs used had a wooden support (Japan Cotton Swab Company, CTB-15 cotton swabs with test tubes). Amylase was quantified by extracting immediately after collection with the cotton swabs, and dividing the subjects into two groups: (i) the extract was stored at 4°C for 4 or 10 days and then quantified, and (ii) the extract was stored at 25°C for 4 or 10 days and then quantified. The results are shown in Table 8.

Table 8 shows that when the extract taken from the cotton swab is stored before amylase quantification, the detection sensitivity is maintained for four days at either 4°C or 25°C. In addition, since the detection sensitivity was maintained for a longer period when stored at low temperature, it can be seen that storage at low temperature is preferable when the process includes a step of storing the extract.

<Composition Example>
Tables 9 to 11 show examples of the formulation of sanitary treatment agents that can be used in the sanitary treatment of the present invention. These sanitary treatment agents can be used to carry out the sanitary treatment method of the present invention. However, the sanitary treatment agents are not limited to these.
Table 9 shows the treatment agents used mainly by impregnating sheet materials such as nonwoven fabrics, which can be used to obtain sheet-shaped sanitary treatment products. The sheet-shaped sanitary treatment products are suitable for contacting the sanitary treatment agent with the treatment area and wiping it.
Table 10 shows treatment agents that are mainly used by spraying with a sprayer or the like, and can be used to obtain a spray-type sanitary treatment product. The spray-type sanitary treatment product is suitable for efficiently contacting (spraying) the sanitary treatment agent with the treatment area. After contacting the sanitary treatment agent with the spray-type sanitary treatment product, the treatment area may be wiped with a flexible material such as a nonwoven fabric or sponge, if necessary.
Table 11 shows the treatment agents mainly used for cleaning and sterilization, and the product form can be various. For example, it can be used in the above-mentioned sheet-type sanitary treatment agent product or spray-type sanitary treatment agent product.

Some of the components used in Tables 9 to 11 are as follows:
・Amphitol 20N: manufactured by Kao Corporation, lauryl dimethylamine oxide ・Amphitol 20AB: manufactured by Kao Corporation, lauric acid amidopropyl betaine ・Neoperex GS: manufactured by Kao Corporation, alkylbenzene sulfonic acid ・Emal 20CS: manufactured by Kao Corporation, sodium polyoxyethylene lauryl ether sulfate ・Secondary alcohol EO 3 moles: a nonionic surfactant in which an average of 3 moles of ethylene oxide are added to a secondary alcohol (having 12 to 14 carbon atoms), Softanol 30, manufactured by Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd. ・Alkyl glycoside: AG-124, manufactured by Kao Corporation, a nonionic surfactant ・Rheodol TW-L120: manufactured by Kao Corporation, polyoxyethylene sodium Lubitan monolaurate-laurylamine EO adduct (2 moles): A nonionic surfactant in which an average of 2 moles of ethylene oxide is added to laurylamine. Penetol GE-EH: Manufactured by Kao Corporation. 2-Ethylhexylglyceryl ether. Sanizol B-50: Manufactured by Kao Corporation. Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride. BDG: Butyl diglycol (diethylene glycol monobutyl ether) manufactured by Nippon Nyukazai Co., Ltd. Solvent. MFG: Propylene glycol monomethyl ether, manufactured by Nippon Nyukazai Co., Ltd. Solvent. Betaine polymer: A copolymer manufactured by the method of Example 1 of JP2018-199770. Carbopol ETD2020 PLYMER: Manufactured by Lubrizol Advanced Materials. Carboxyvinyl polymer. Preservative: Caisson CG, manufactured by DuPont.

Claims (10)

A method for determining locations for sanitation treatment, comprising: detecting amylase in an environment ; determining a risk level of viral and/or bacterial contamination based on the detection results of the amount of amylase ; determining multiple locations for which careful sanitation treatment should be performed or multiple locations for which sanitation treatment should be prioritized based on the determined risk level of contamination; and ranking the multiple locations for sanitation treatment. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sanitary treatment comprises one or more treatments selected from the group consisting of cleaning, antibacterial treatment, and antiviral treatment. The method according to claim 1 or 2, in which amylase is detected by a method utilizing an antigen-antibody reaction and/or an enzyme reaction. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the detection result of amylase includes the detection frequency of amylase. A sanitation method in which multiple locations for sanitation treatment are determined using the determination method described in claim 1, and sanitation treatment is performed based on the determination and the ranking of the sanitation treatment for the multiple locations. The sanitary treatment method according to claim 5 , wherein the sanitary treatment is a treatment using a sanitary treatment agent for at least one selected from cleaning, sterilization, and virucidal purposes. The sanitary treatment method described in claim 5, wherein, in the determination method, a plurality of locations where sanitary treatment is to be performed are determined, and the sanitary treatment is ranked for the plurality of locations, and then sanitary treatment based on the determination and ranking of the sanitary treatment is performed periodically or non-periodically, and amylase detection is not performed after the detection of amylase for the determination. The sanitary treatment method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the detection result of amylase in the determination method includes a detection frequency of amylase. A sanitation kit comprising: a means for detecting amylase in the environment; and an agent for treating a plurality of sanitation treatment sites that are to undergo careful sanitation treatment or a plurality of sanitation treatment sites that are to be sanitation treated as a priority, determined and ranked according to the risk level of viral and/or bacterial contamination determined based on the detection results of the amount of amylase obtained by the means. 1. A method for indicating a viral and/or bacterial contamination status of a candidate site for sanitation treatment, comprising:
(a) identifying a plurality of locations within an environment, the plurality of locations including:
(i) generating location data capable of identifying placement locations of entities to identify a plurality of locations within a defined area;
(ii) recording location data of the plurality of locations in the environment; and (iii) recording entities linked to the location data of the plurality of locations in the environment, by classifying them into positions and portions;
(b) recording the amount of amylase detected at the plurality of locations in the environment; and
(c) recording the generated detection results by the classified positions and parts of the entities recorded in (iii) of (a); and (d) displaying the recorded detection results of (c) and a ranking of the sanitation procedures performed on a plurality of locations for which thorough sanitation procedures or a plurality of locations for which sanitation procedures should be prioritized, determined based on the risk level of viral and/or bacterial contamination determined thereon, together with the location data of the plurality of locations in the environment.
A method for displaying the contamination status of a candidate location for sanitary treatment, comprising: