Air sampling offers a cost-effective alternative to individual testing for respiratory pathogens within congregate settings. Optimization and use of multi-pathogen assays are especially valuable for capturing the breadth of pathogens that may be present simultaneously in the same space. The modified CARMEN RVP assays (RVPₐir and RVPₐirflu) detected SARS-CoV-2 and Flu A during similar sampling time periods compared to qRT-PCR, while also detecting several additional respiratory pathogens (seasonal coronaviruses, respiratory syncytial virus). Importantly, pathogens detected from air samples corresponded to those detected from nasal swabs collected from individuals in the same spaces. Together, these findings highlight the utility of the RVPₐir and RVPₐirflu assays as alternatives to qRT-PCR for environmental surveillance, with applications extending to other congregate spaces (hospitals, long-term care facilities) and high-risk settings, better informing communities and improving public health.
Ellis et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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