COVID-19 surveillance in public buildings using vacuumed dust

摘要 COVID-19自疫情开始以来，仅在美国就导致超过50万人死亡。即使有 疫苗的分发，它不会在不久的将来被根除。我们迫切需要其他方法来建造- 对高风险群体进行大规模监测，如住在宿舍、集体护理设施中的个人， 监狱。我们最近的工作表明，散装灰尘很可能作为一个方便的基质， 监测.但是，我们需要证明可行性。在这里，我们提出了一个简单，方便， 基于使用真空吸尘的COVID-19长期建筑规模监测的经济实惠的方法， 很多建筑物都已经开始收集了。该项目的目标是进行可行性研究， 对俄勒冈州立大学哥伦布校区、K-12学校和儿童保育设施的建筑灰尘进行病毒监测， 当个别测试仍然普遍用于比较时，一年以上的样本。目标1是测量 建筑物灰尘中存在SARS-CoV-2并与疾病频率进行比较。目标二是 测量建筑灰尘中的SARS-CoV-2变体。我们的探索性目标3是研究 建筑物灰尘中的SARS-CoV-2。我们将迅速开发和实施一种新的监测技术， 病毒性疾病灰尘收集提供了更具体的数据，在建筑规模上比在建筑规模上更方便。 污水收集，因为并非所有感染者都会在粪便中排出这种呼吸道病毒。这种新颖技术 将提供用于监测其他病毒性疾病如流感和RSV的方法。我们还将开发一个 新的生物信息学管道，用于解析混合样本中的变体。结果还将提供基本的 关于病毒在建筑物中的位置和病毒在建筑环境中的分布的信息。最后，如果成功， 该小组将努力鼓励尽快广泛实施这一监测战略 帮助学校在秋季开学，抗击新冠肺炎。

Abstract COVID-19 has resulted in over 500,000 deaths in the US alone since the start of the pandemic. Even with vaccine distribution, it will not be eradicated in the near future. We urgently need other methods for building- scale surveillance of high-risk groups, such as individuals living in dormitories, congregate care facilities, and prisons. Our recent work demonstrates that bulk dust is likely to serve as a convenient matrix for building-scale monitoring. However, we need to demonstrate feasibility. Here we propose an easy, convenient, and affordable method for long-term building-scale surveillance of COVID-19 based on use of vacuumed dust, which is already being collected in many buildings. The goal of this project is to conduct a feasibility study of viral monitoring of building dust on OSU’s Columbus Campus, in K-12 schools, and in child care facilities with sample over a year when individual testing is still common for comparison. Aim 1 is measurement of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in dust from buildings and comparison with disease frequency. Aim 2 is measurement of the SARS-CoV-2 variants in building dust. Our exploratory Aim 3 is to study distribution of SARS-CoV-2 in dust from buildings. We will rapidly develop and implement a novel technique for monitoring of viral disease. Dust collection provides more specific data and is more convenient at the building scale than wastewater collection, as not all infected individuals shed this respiratory virus in feces. This novel technique will provide a method for monitoring of other viral diseases such as influenza and RSV. We will also develop a new bioinformatics pipeline for resolution of variants in a mixed sample. Results will also provide fundamental information about viral location in buildings and viral distribution in the built environment. Finally, if successful, the team will work to encourage widespread implementation of this monitoring strategy as quickly as possible to help keep schools open in the fall and fight against COVID-19.