A new proof-of-concept device that can identify Covid – 19 variants and other well-known airborne viruses, also known as virus aerosols, in the air within five minutes has been the subject of a recent study that was published in Nature Communications. An international team of researchers conducted this study, which has the potential to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and other illnesses in a variety of public settings, including hospitals, schools, and health care facilities.
The proof-of-concept air quality monitor, an artist’s concept, was created for the study and is intended to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus within minutes. ( Credit: Joseph Puthussery, & nbsp )
According to Dr. John Cirrito, a professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis( WUSTL ) and co-author of the study,” there is nothing at the moment that tells us how safe he or she is.” You don’t want to learn five days later whether you might be ill or not if you are in a room with 100 people. The concept behind this device is that you can practically determine whether there is a live virus every five minutes or in real time.
This study expands on a previous study that used symbiosensors to identify an Alzheimer’s disease biomarker, which were later modified to recognize the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The biosensor was combined with an air sampler that used electrochemistry to detect virus aerosols, one of which was Covid – 19. The researchers used what is known as wet cyclone technology.
According to Dr. Rajan Chakrabarty, a Harold D. Jolley Development Associate Professor at the WUSTL McKelvey School of Engineering and co-author on the study, the problem with airborne aerosol detectors is that the level of virus in the indoor air is so diluted that it even pushes toward the limit of detection of polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) and is like finding the needle in haystack. The wet cyclone’s extremely high flow rate, which enables it to sample more air over a 5-minute sample collection than commercially available samplers, can be blamed for its high virus recovery.
The researchers collected air samples from the apartments of two Covid-positive patients and from a virus-free control room to test their new air sampling biosensor. The findings demonstrated that the device detected Covid – 19 RNA successfully but not anything else in the control room. After conducting laboratory tests, the team discovered that the device could detect virus aerosols from samples taken just a few minutes later.
According to Dr. Cirrito,” We are starting with SARS-CoV-2, but there are plans to measure influenza, RSV, rhinovirus, and other top pathogens that routinely infect people.” ” Staph or strep, which cause all kinds of complications for patients, could be measured using the monitor in a hospital setting. This may actually have a significant effect on people’s health.
The team is carrying out the steps required to create a device for use in commerce.
In the upcoming years and decades, what new discoveries will scientists make regarding virus aerosols and air monitoring equipment? Time will tell, which is why science exists.
Sources: News – Medical Life Sciences, University of Rochester, Nature Communications, World Health Organization, Washington University in St. Louis
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