Advancing air microbiome research for the investigation of co-infections and for community use: a test case with SARS-CoV-2 and Aspergillus

"New and re-emerging infectious diseases represent a critical threat to global public and animal health. Major viral outbreaks of, for example, Middle-Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), African Swine Fever, Swine and Avian Influenza, and SARS-CoV-2, alongside numerous bacterial and fungal infections and the rise in antimicrobial resistance, have all had major impacts on the human and animal population creating a substantial economic burden within affected countries. Indeed, the potential for zoonotic transmission of pathogens into the human population has emphasised the importance of an integrated "One Health" approach to pathogen surveillance across the human, animal and environmental nexus, with infectious disease monitoring programmes central to the protection of human, plant and animal populations. Researchers at Queen's University Belfast (QUB), the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde have developed considerable expertise in the detection of pathogens from both environmental (e.g. wastewater) and clinical samples. Latterly research at QUB has expanded into the development of air sampling protocols for the monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 levels within the built environment. Although the detection and monitoring of pathogens on surfaces, and in both clinical and wastewater samples is relatively well advanced, their remains a need to develop better methodologies for community pathogen monitoring within air. By utilising the expertise within those research teams based at Queen's University Belfast (QUB), the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde this project seeks to: 1). Assess the potential of air sampling as a tool to detect airborne pathogens (bacterial, fungal and viral) within a clinical setting using both culture-based and molecular (qPCR and metagenomics) approaches; 2). Determine the physical interaction between bacteria, virus particles and fungal conidia spores, and the impact of this on pathogen viability and detection via air sampling; 3). Investigate the impact of Aspergillus/SARS-CoV-2 and influenza co-infection on fungal/viral infection dynamics, inflammation, and cell death, using in vitro models of lung infection; 4). Using electrochemical biosensing technologies investigate if a biosensor (for SARS-CoV-2 initially) can be constructed and integrated with air sampling technologies, as a first step towards the development of a real-time air monitoring system for pathogens. Improving our ability to detect airborne pathogens alongside increasing our understanding of air-associated routes of infection, and the interactions between such pathogens, will ultimately lead to improvements in infection control measures within the hospital environment and beyond. "