AUTHOR=Murray Alastair F. , Emanuels Anne , Wolf Caitlin , Franko Nicholas , Starita Lea , Englund Janet A. , Chu Helen Y. TITLE=School-Based Surveillance of Respiratory Pathogens on “High-Touch” Surfaces JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics VOLUME=9 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2021.686386 DOI=10.3389/fped.2021.686386 ISSN=2296-2360 ABSTRACT=

In order to assess the presence of respiratory pathogens on “high-touch” surfaces and inform sanitation practices at schools, pre-selected surfaces in elementary schools in Seattle, WA, USA were sampled weekly and tested by RT-PCR for 25 viral respiratory pathogens (including SARS-CoV-2 retrospectively) and S. pneumoniae during 2019–2020 winter respiratory illness season. Viral pathogens (rhinovirus, adenovirus, influenza) known to cause respiratory illness were detected on commonly touched surfaces, especially wooden surfaces, and matched the patterns of circulating virus in the community.