iScience (Mar 2024)

Exploring indoor and outdoor dust as a potential tool for detection and monitoring of COVID-19 transmission

  • Suparinthon Anupong,
  • Sudarat Chadsuthi,
  • Parichart Hongsing,
  • Cameron Hurst,
  • Phatthranit Phattharapornjaroen,
  • Ali Hosseini Rad S.M.,
  • Stefan Fernandez,
  • Angkana T. Huang,
  • Porames Vatanaprasan,
  • Thammakorn Saethang,
  • Sirirat Luk-in,
  • Robin James Storer,
  • Puey Ounjai,
  • Naveen Kumar Devanga Ragupathi,
  • Phitsanuruk Kanthawee,
  • Natharin Ngamwongsatit,
  • Vishnu Nayak Badavath,
  • Wanwara Thuptimdang,
  • Asada Leelahavanichkul,
  • Talerngsak Kanjanabuch,
  • Kazuhiko Miyanaga,
  • Longzhu Cui,
  • Asuka Nanbo,
  • Kenji Shibuya,
  • Rosalyn Kupwiwat,
  • Daisuke Sano,
  • Takashi Furukawa,
  • Kazunari Sei,
  • Paul G. Higgins,
  • Anthony Kicic,
  • Andrew C. Singer,
  • Tanittha Chatsuwan,
  • Sam Trowsdale,
  • Shuichi Abe,
  • Hitoshi Ishikawa,
  • Mohan Amarasiri,
  • Charin Modchang,
  • Dhammika Leshan Wannigama

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 27, no. 3
p. 109043

Abstract

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Summary: This study investigated the potential of using SARS-CoV-2 viral concentrations in dust as an additional surveillance tool for early detection and monitoring of COVID-19 transmission. Dust samples were collected from 8 public locations in 16 districts of Bangkok, Thailand, from June to August 2021. SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in dust were quantified, and their correlation with community case incidence was assessed. Our findings revealed a positive correlation between viral concentrations detected in dust and the relative risk of COVID-19. The highest risk was observed with no delay (0-day lag), and this risk gradually decreased as the lag time increased. We observed an overall decline in viral concentrations in public places during lockdown, closely associated with reduced human mobility. The effective reproduction number for COVID-19 transmission remained above one throughout the study period, suggesting that transmission may persist in locations beyond public areas even after the lockdown measures were in place.

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