Virus Hunters Test New Surveillance Tools

This 2-page article from Science covers how virology researchers are testing surveillance tools to improve virus detection. The article describes specific methods being tested, including air sampling, "breath biopsy," dust collection, and use of physical objects to sample viral load. These sampling methods are used in viral hot spots such as live animal markets, farms, and bat caves to detect the prevalence of specific viruses, like the H1N1 influenza virus. The article describes the researchers' goal of improving viral surveillance to prevent pandemics. Specific initiatives, such as the Global Virome Project and the Human Breath Atlas, are discussed.