High humidity leads to loss of infectious influenza virus from simulated coughs

High humidity leads to loss of infectious influenza virus from simulated coughs

The role of relative humidity in the aerosol transmission of influenza was examined in a simulated examination room containing coughing and breathing manikins. Nebulized influenza was coughed into the examination room and Bioaerosol samplers collected size-fractionated aerosols (<1 µM, 1-4 µM, an...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one Vol. 8; no. 2; p. e57485
Main Authors: Noti, John D, Blachere, Francoise M, McMillen, Cynthia M, Lindsley, William G, Kashon, Michael L, Slaughter, Denzil R, Beezhold, Donald H
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Public Library of Science 27-02-2013
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Subjects:
Aerosol particles
Aerosols
Air currents
Air flow
Animals
Bioaerosols
Biology
Breathing
Chemistry
Cough - virology
Deactivation
Disease control
Disease prevention
Earth Sciences
High humidity
Humans
Humidity
Inactivation
Infections
Infectivity
Influenza
Low humidity
Madin Darby Canine Kidney Cells
Medical laboratories
Medical personnel
Medicine
Occupational safety
Orthomyxoviridae - pathogenicity
Particle Size
Particulates
Plaque assay
Relative humidity
Respiration
Samplers
Studies
Ventilation
Viruses
West Virginia
United States > US
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The role of relative humidity in the aerosol transmission of influenza was examined in a simulated examination room containing coughing and breathing manikins. Nebulized influenza was coughed into the examination room and Bioaerosol samplers collected size-fractionated aerosols (<1 µM, 1-4 µM, and >4 µM aerodynamic diameters) adjacent to the breathing manikin's mouth and also at other locations within the room. At constant temperature, the RH was varied from 7-73% and infectivity was assessed by the viral plaque assay. Total virus collected for 60 minutes retained 70.6-77.3% infectivity at relative humidity ≤23% but only 14.6-22.2% at relative humidity ≥43%. Analysis of the individual aerosol fractions showed a similar loss in infectivity among the fractions. Time interval analysis showed that most of the loss in infectivity within each aerosol fraction occurred 0-15 minutes after coughing. Thereafter, losses in infectivity continued up to 5 hours after coughing, however, the rate of decline at 45% relative humidity was not statistically different than that at 20% regardless of the aerosol fraction analyzed. At low relative humidity, influenza retains maximal infectivity and inactivation of the virus at higher relative humidity occurs rapidly after coughing. Although virus carried on aerosol particles <4 µM have the potential for remaining suspended in air currents longer and traveling further distances than those on larger particles, their rapid inactivation at high humidity tempers this concern. Maintaining indoor relative humidity >40% will significantly reduce the infectivity of aerosolized virus.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
Conceived and designed the experiments: JDN WGL CMM DHB. Performed the experiments: FMB CMM WGL JDN. Analyzed the data: JDN CMM FMB MLK DRS. Wrote the paper: JDN WGL DHB.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0057485