Passively sensing SARS-CoV-2 RNA in public transit buses.
Sci Total Environ
; 821: 152790, 2022 May 15.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1612001
Preprint
This scientific journal article is probably based on a previously available preprint. It has been identified through a machine matching algorithm, human confirmation is still pending.
See preprint
This scientific journal article is probably based on a previously available preprint. It has been identified through a machine matching algorithm, human confirmation is still pending.
See preprint
ABSTRACT
Affordably tracking the transmission of respiratory infectious diseases in urban transport infrastructures can inform individuals about potential exposure to diseases and guide public policymakers to prepare timely responses based on geographical transmission in different areas in the city. Towards that end, we designed and tested a method to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the air filters of public buses, revealing that air filters could be used as passive fabric sensors for the detection of viral presence. We placed and retrieved filters in the existing HVAC systems of public buses to test for the presence of trapped SARS-CoV-2 RNA using phenol-chloroform extraction and RT-qPCR. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 14% (5/37) of public bus filters tested in Seattle, Washington, from August 2020 to March 2021. These results indicate that this sensing system is feasible and that, if scaled, this method could provide a unique lens into the geographically relevant transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through public transit rider vectors, pooling samples of riders over time in a passive manner without installing any additional systems on transit vehicles.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Transportation
/
RNA, Viral
/
Motor Vehicles
/
SARS-CoV-2
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Sci Total Environ
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
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