Dust reveals 54 viruses in buildings, pointing to new outbreak warning tool

Gathering dust from buildings may hold promise as a more efficient way to track viral outbreaks in indoor settings, according to a new study published in Building and Environment by researchers from the Ohio State University. After collecting nearly 30 vacuumed dust samples from places like schools, university residence halls and office buildings, the team simultaneously identified the presence of 54 distinct viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, norovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and others.