Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 15, 2025
Swabbing the Urban Environment - A Pipeline for Sampling and Detection of SARS-CoV-2 From Environmental Reservoirs
Published on: April 9, 2021
SARS-CoV-2 Detection in air samples from inside heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems- COVID
Sinan Sousan1, Ming Fan2, Kathryn Outlaw3
1Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA; North Carolina Agromedicine Institute, Greenville, NC, USA.
Background:
The COVID-19 pandemic affected universities and institutions and caused campus shutdowns with a transition to online teaching models. To detect infections that might spread on campus, we pursued research towards detecting SARS-CoV-2 in air samples inside student dorms.
Methods:
We sampled air in 2 large dormitories for 3.5 months and a separate isolation suite containing a student who had tested positive for COVID-19. We developed novel techniques employing 4 methods to collect air samples: Filter Cassettes, Button Sampler, BioSampler, and AerosolSense sampler combined with direct qRT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 analysis.
Results:
For the 2 large dorms with the normal student population, we detected SARS-CoV-2 in 11 samples. When compared with student nasal swab qRT-PCR testing, we detected SARS-CoV-2 in air samples when a PCR positive COVID-19 student was living on the same floor of the sampling location with a detection rate of 75%. For the isolation dorm, we had a 100% SARS-CoV-2 detection rate with AerosolSense sampler.
Conclusions:
Our data suggest air sampling may be an important SARS-CoV-2 surveillance technique, especially for buildings with congregant living settings (dorms, correctional facilities, barracks). Future building designs and public health policies should consider implementation of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning surveillance.
