“New NAO preprint: Indoor air sampling for detection of viral nucleic acids” by ljusten, Will Bradshaw

Cross-post from the new NAO blog. Link: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4823882 Airborne pathogens cause a significant amount of present harm and are the most likely cause of future pandemics. By targeting their primary mode of transmission, air sampling could enable earlier detection and persistent monitoring of such pathogens. As part of our work on sampling strategies for early detection of stealth pathogens, we performed a comprehensive review of air sampling, which has now been published as a preprint on SSRN. In our review, we examine the sources and composition of viral bioaerosols, evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of sampling technologies, and lay out strategies for effective implementation of air sampling programs. We find that: Both PCR and metagenomic sequencing have detected a wide range of human viruses in indoor air, including respiratory RNA viruses and skin-borne DNA viruses. Sampling viruses in air remains challenging, largely due to the difficulties in efficiently [...] --- First published: May 16th, 2024 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/3mmRoX8WqhFFkCwYk/new-nao-preprint-indoor-air-sampling-for-detection-of-viral --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.