Qualitative Review of Viral Surrogates for Aerosol Testing

133 studies were analyzed to identify trends and knowledge gaps in selecting safer viral surrogates for virucidal aerosol testing. The scoping review was conducted by Angela Myer and published on figshare in April 2026. It focuses on surrogate selection for testing chemistries in indoor environments, a field of heightened interest during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Use Cases

• Analyzing trends in surrogate selection across aerosol, surface, and suspension-based test methodologies mentioned in the review.
• Identifying knowledge gaps related to the concurrent testing of pathogens and surrogates for suitability assessment.
• Categorizing studies based on commonly used surrogates, such as Enterobacteria phage MS2, and their cited practical benefits.
• Evaluating the context-dependency of surrogate selection on specific test conditions described in the qualitative analysis.
• Reviewing considerations for surrogate use in research on virus persistence, transmission, and nonchemical management as outlined in the study.

Strengths

• Qualitative analysis is based on a defined corpus of 133 scientific studies.
• The dataset provides a focused review on a specific, timely topic: surrogate selection for virucidal aerosol testing.

Limitations

• The dataset is a qualitative review (86.6 KB), not a primary data collection, limiting quantitative analysis.
• Sample size is limited to the 133 studies analyzed, which may not represent the entire field.
• No primary data columns or sample data are provided, only the analysis framework and findings.

Provenance

Source

figshare, authored by Angela Myer.

Collection Method

Scoping review and qualitative analysis of 133 existing scientific studies.

Time Range

Studies analyzed are not dated; the review itself was published in 2026.

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026.