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Wrist Air Samplers Detect Virus Exposure in Kids With Asthma
A novel wearable wrist device was feasible and effective for identifying exposure to respiratory viruses in children with asthma, based on new data presented at the American Thoracic Society 2026 International Conference.
Upper respiratory infections are the main trigger of asthma exacerbations in children, and documented racial and ethnic disparities in upper respiratory infections likely contribute to similar disparities in asthma exacerbations, noted Darlene Bhavnani, PhD, MPH, of The University of Texas at Austin, et al in their abstract.
“Understanding differences in personal exposure to upper respiratory viruses in children with asthma may help to inform these differences in the risk of viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations,” Bhavnani said.
The researchers hypothesized that the use of a wearable passive air sampler could monitor respiratory virus exposure as a way to identify children at increased risk for asthma exacerbations.
Wrist devices to measure respiratory virus exposure are an emerging technology and have not been tested in children, the researchers noted. In their study, the researchers identified 25 children aged 6 to 17 years with persistent asthma who were enrolled in the TexHALE study. Participants were given a Fresh Air Clip to station in their homes and were asked to wear a wristband with a Fresh Air Clip for about 5 consecutive days. The median age of the participants was 12 years, and 64% were male.
At the end of the study period, families reported the number of days the wristband was worn, and the researchers used droplet digital polymerase chain reaction tests to quantify exposure to rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza A, and influenza B.
A total of 24 clips and 24 wristbands were distributed; 23 clips and all 24 wristbands were recovered for analysis. A total of 22 participants (92%) wore the wristband over a median of 6 days. Overall, approximately one-third of the wristbands (33%) tested positive for any respiratory virus, defined as > 6 copies of viral RNA, with 5 positive tests for rhinovirus, 5 for influenza B, 2 for RSV, and none for influenza A. None of the stationary home-based clips tested positive for any respiratory virus.
The researchers were not sure what to expect from the study, as personal exposure to upper respiratory viruses has not been well studied in children, said Bhavnani.
“One third of the children in our pilot study were exposed to one or more upper respiratory viruses in their personal environments, which is a substantial portion of the population studied,” she noted. “Given that viral exposure is the first step in the pathway leading to a viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations, understanding differences in viral exposure could help us to learn more about how to prevent viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations in children with asthma,” she said.
The study was limited by the small sample size, and larger studies are needed. However, the finding the one-third of wristbands and zero stationary clips tested positive for upper respiratory viruses suggests that clips stationed in homes may not be optimal to detect household exposures, or and that exposure outside the home may be more important for monitoring exposure to respiratory viruses in this population, and the results support the feasibility of the devices, the researchers wrote.
“Fresh Air Clips in the form of wearables can be used to understand differences in personal viral exposure and to target interventions that ultimately, would reduce the burden of viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations,” Bhavnani said.
New Role for New Technology
“New technology now allows us to quantitate exposure to specific respiratory viruses on wearable and stationary devices,” said Tim Joos, MD, who practices internal medicine and pediatrics at a community health center in Seattle.
The current study findings suggest that the majority of the exposure to respiratory viruses occurs outside the home, said Joos, who was not involved in the study. Consequently, technology that can detect community exposure could be useful, although the role it may play in public health and clinical practice is yet to be determined, Joos said.
The wristbands and clips were easy to deploy and recover, which supports their value, and potential applications include testing the effectiveness of infection control strategies such as social distancing, masking, and isolation in lowering viral exposures, Joos noted.
The study received no outside funding but was supported by core funds from the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose. Joos had no financial conflicts to disclose.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
A novel wearable wrist device was feasible and effective for identifying exposure to respiratory viruses in children with asthma, based on new data presented at the American Thoracic Society 2026 International Conference.
Upper respiratory infections are the main trigger of asthma exacerbations in children, and documented racial and ethnic disparities in upper respiratory infections likely contribute to similar disparities in asthma exacerbations, noted Darlene Bhavnani, PhD, MPH, of The University of Texas at Austin, et al in their abstract.
“Understanding differences in personal exposure to upper respiratory viruses in children with asthma may help to inform these differences in the risk of viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations,” Bhavnani said.
The researchers hypothesized that the use of a wearable passive air sampler could monitor respiratory virus exposure as a way to identify children at increased risk for asthma exacerbations.
Wrist devices to measure respiratory virus exposure are an emerging technology and have not been tested in children, the researchers noted. In their study, the researchers identified 25 children aged 6 to 17 years with persistent asthma who were enrolled in the TexHALE study. Participants were given a Fresh Air Clip to station in their homes and were asked to wear a wristband with a Fresh Air Clip for about 5 consecutive days. The median age of the participants was 12 years, and 64% were male.
At the end of the study period, families reported the number of days the wristband was worn, and the researchers used droplet digital polymerase chain reaction tests to quantify exposure to rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza A, and influenza B.
A total of 24 clips and 24 wristbands were distributed; 23 clips and all 24 wristbands were recovered for analysis. A total of 22 participants (92%) wore the wristband over a median of 6 days. Overall, approximately one-third of the wristbands (33%) tested positive for any respiratory virus, defined as > 6 copies of viral RNA, with 5 positive tests for rhinovirus, 5 for influenza B, 2 for RSV, and none for influenza A. None of the stationary home-based clips tested positive for any respiratory virus.
The researchers were not sure what to expect from the study, as personal exposure to upper respiratory viruses has not been well studied in children, said Bhavnani.
“One third of the children in our pilot study were exposed to one or more upper respiratory viruses in their personal environments, which is a substantial portion of the population studied,” she noted. “Given that viral exposure is the first step in the pathway leading to a viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations, understanding differences in viral exposure could help us to learn more about how to prevent viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations in children with asthma,” she said.
The study was limited by the small sample size, and larger studies are needed. However, the finding the one-third of wristbands and zero stationary clips tested positive for upper respiratory viruses suggests that clips stationed in homes may not be optimal to detect household exposures, or and that exposure outside the home may be more important for monitoring exposure to respiratory viruses in this population, and the results support the feasibility of the devices, the researchers wrote.
“Fresh Air Clips in the form of wearables can be used to understand differences in personal viral exposure and to target interventions that ultimately, would reduce the burden of viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations,” Bhavnani said.
New Role for New Technology
“New technology now allows us to quantitate exposure to specific respiratory viruses on wearable and stationary devices,” said Tim Joos, MD, who practices internal medicine and pediatrics at a community health center in Seattle.
The current study findings suggest that the majority of the exposure to respiratory viruses occurs outside the home, said Joos, who was not involved in the study. Consequently, technology that can detect community exposure could be useful, although the role it may play in public health and clinical practice is yet to be determined, Joos said.
The wristbands and clips were easy to deploy and recover, which supports their value, and potential applications include testing the effectiveness of infection control strategies such as social distancing, masking, and isolation in lowering viral exposures, Joos noted.
The study received no outside funding but was supported by core funds from the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose. Joos had no financial conflicts to disclose.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
A novel wearable wrist device was feasible and effective for identifying exposure to respiratory viruses in children with asthma, based on new data presented at the American Thoracic Society 2026 International Conference.
Upper respiratory infections are the main trigger of asthma exacerbations in children, and documented racial and ethnic disparities in upper respiratory infections likely contribute to similar disparities in asthma exacerbations, noted Darlene Bhavnani, PhD, MPH, of The University of Texas at Austin, et al in their abstract.
“Understanding differences in personal exposure to upper respiratory viruses in children with asthma may help to inform these differences in the risk of viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations,” Bhavnani said.
The researchers hypothesized that the use of a wearable passive air sampler could monitor respiratory virus exposure as a way to identify children at increased risk for asthma exacerbations.
Wrist devices to measure respiratory virus exposure are an emerging technology and have not been tested in children, the researchers noted. In their study, the researchers identified 25 children aged 6 to 17 years with persistent asthma who were enrolled in the TexHALE study. Participants were given a Fresh Air Clip to station in their homes and were asked to wear a wristband with a Fresh Air Clip for about 5 consecutive days. The median age of the participants was 12 years, and 64% were male.
At the end of the study period, families reported the number of days the wristband was worn, and the researchers used droplet digital polymerase chain reaction tests to quantify exposure to rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza A, and influenza B.
A total of 24 clips and 24 wristbands were distributed; 23 clips and all 24 wristbands were recovered for analysis. A total of 22 participants (92%) wore the wristband over a median of 6 days. Overall, approximately one-third of the wristbands (33%) tested positive for any respiratory virus, defined as > 6 copies of viral RNA, with 5 positive tests for rhinovirus, 5 for influenza B, 2 for RSV, and none for influenza A. None of the stationary home-based clips tested positive for any respiratory virus.
The researchers were not sure what to expect from the study, as personal exposure to upper respiratory viruses has not been well studied in children, said Bhavnani.
“One third of the children in our pilot study were exposed to one or more upper respiratory viruses in their personal environments, which is a substantial portion of the population studied,” she noted. “Given that viral exposure is the first step in the pathway leading to a viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations, understanding differences in viral exposure could help us to learn more about how to prevent viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations in children with asthma,” she said.
The study was limited by the small sample size, and larger studies are needed. However, the finding the one-third of wristbands and zero stationary clips tested positive for upper respiratory viruses suggests that clips stationed in homes may not be optimal to detect household exposures, or and that exposure outside the home may be more important for monitoring exposure to respiratory viruses in this population, and the results support the feasibility of the devices, the researchers wrote.
“Fresh Air Clips in the form of wearables can be used to understand differences in personal viral exposure and to target interventions that ultimately, would reduce the burden of viral infection and viral-associated asthma exacerbations,” Bhavnani said.
New Role for New Technology
“New technology now allows us to quantitate exposure to specific respiratory viruses on wearable and stationary devices,” said Tim Joos, MD, who practices internal medicine and pediatrics at a community health center in Seattle.
The current study findings suggest that the majority of the exposure to respiratory viruses occurs outside the home, said Joos, who was not involved in the study. Consequently, technology that can detect community exposure could be useful, although the role it may play in public health and clinical practice is yet to be determined, Joos said.
The wristbands and clips were easy to deploy and recover, which supports their value, and potential applications include testing the effectiveness of infection control strategies such as social distancing, masking, and isolation in lowering viral exposures, Joos noted.
The study received no outside funding but was supported by core funds from the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose. Joos had no financial conflicts to disclose.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
Wrist Air Samplers Detect Virus Exposure in Kids With Asthma
Wrist Air Samplers Detect Virus Exposure in Kids With Asthma