Collection and detection of SARS-CoV-2 in exhaled breath using face mask

Abstract

Face masks are used to protect the wearer from harmful external air and to prevent transmission of viruses from air exhaled by potentially infected wearers to the surrounding people. In this study, we examined the potential utility of masks for collecting viruses contained in exhaled breath and detected the collected viruses via various molecular tests. Using KF94 masks, the inner electrostatic filter was selected for virus collection, and an RNA extraction protocol was developed for the face mask. Virus detection in worn mask samples was performed using PCR and rolling circle amplification (RCA) tests and four different target genes (N, E, RdRp, and ORF1ab genes). The present study confirmed that the mask sample tests showed positive SARS-CoV-2 results, similar to the PCR tests using nasopharyngeal swab samples. In addition, the quantity of nucleic acid collected in the masks linearly increased with wearing time. These results suggest that samples for SARS-CoV-2 tests can be collected in a noninvasive, quick, and easy method by simply submitting worn masks from subjects, which can significantly reduce the hassle of waiting at airports or public places and concerns about cross-infection. In addition, it is expected that miniaturization technology will integrate PCR assays on face masks in the near future, and mask-based self-diagnosis would play a significant role in resolving the pandemic situation.

Comparative transcriptomic analyzes of human lung epithelial cells infected with wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and its variant with a 12-bp missing in the E gene

“…E gene is important for the virus maturation and replication ( Regla-Nava et al, 2015 ). Studies related to the E gene were mainly about its use as a target for the virus detection ( Kim et al, 2022 ; Valadan et al, 2022 ). It seems that the E gene of SARS-CoV-2 is conserved.…”

“…Cytokines and chemokines are important for the immune response ( Berantini et al, 2022 ). Among the viral protein interaction pathway, the immune system pathway and the TNF signaling pathway, cytokines such as IL-6 and CSF2, and the chemokines such as CXCL2 and CXCL10, were all involved.…”

“…All the human beings are generally susceptible to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. By the 4th of December ( Kim et al, 2022 ), it had led to more than 640 million patients and more than 6.6 million deaths worldwide ( WHO, 2022 ). The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a single-stranded RNA virus and can mutate easily.…”

Exhaled breath condensate as bioanalyte: from collection considerations to biomarker sensing

“…Masks seem ideally suited for the collection of EBA [20,23,24,31] and EBC [19]. In 2014, Barer and coworkers modified already a FP30 face mask by cutting a 5.5-cm 2 opening from the center, into which an equivalentsized gelatin membrane with 3-mm pore size was attached in a custom-made detachable plastic holder secured with autoclave tape and applied for sampling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Fig.…”

“…The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a positive impact in this field via the proposition of alternative breath collection approaches often mask-based systems [19][20][21], and the consideration of compiling with portable biosensors for immediate analysis, eliminating many of the confounding variables introduced by breath collection and sample storage [19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. The approaches are different from those of bioelectronic noses, and intelligent sensor arrays used to identify gases and vapors [26].…”