Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses

Chia C. Wang; Kimberly A. Prather; Josué Sznitman; Jose L. Jimenez; Seema S. Lakdawala; Zeynep Tufekci; Linsey C. Marr

doi:10.1126/science.abd9149

Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses

Chia C. Wang, Kimberly A. Prather, Josué Sznitman, Jose L. Jimenez, Seema S. Lakdawala, Zeynep Tufekci, Linsey C. Marr

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

742 Scopus citations

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of and a need to update the traditional view of transmission pathways for respiratory viruses. The long-standing definitions of droplet and airborne transmission do not account for the mechanisms by which virus-laden respiratory droplets and aerosols travel through the air and lead to infection. In this Review, we discuss current evidence regarding the transmission of respiratory viruses by aerosols-how they are generated, transported, and deposited, as well as the factors affecting the relative contributions of droplet-spray deposition versus aerosol inhalation as modes of transmission. Improved understanding of aerosol transmission brought about by studies of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection requires a reevaluation of the major transmission pathways for other respiratory viruses, which will allow better-informed controls to reduce airborne transmission.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	eabd9149
Journal	Science
Volume	373
Issue number	6558
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abd9149
State	Published - Aug 27 2021
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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10.1126/science.abd9149

Cite this

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title = "Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses",

abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of and a need to update the traditional view of transmission pathways for respiratory viruses. The long-standing definitions of droplet and airborne transmission do not account for the mechanisms by which virus-laden respiratory droplets and aerosols travel through the air and lead to infection. In this Review, we discuss current evidence regarding the transmission of respiratory viruses by aerosols-how they are generated, transported, and deposited, as well as the factors affecting the relative contributions of droplet-spray deposition versus aerosol inhalation as modes of transmission. Improved understanding of aerosol transmission brought about by studies of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection requires a reevaluation of the major transmission pathways for other respiratory viruses, which will allow better-informed controls to reduce airborne transmission.",

author = "Wang, {Chia C.} and Prather, {Kimberly A.} and Josu{\'e} Sznitman and Jimenez, {Jose L.} and Lakdawala, {Seema S.} and Zeynep Tufekci and Marr, {Linsey C.}",

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AU - Wang, Chia C.

AU - Prather, Kimberly A.

AU - Sznitman, Josué

AU - Jimenez, Jose L.

AU - Lakdawala, Seema S.

AU - Tufekci, Zeynep

AU - Marr, Linsey C.

PY - 2021/8/27

Y1 - 2021/8/27

N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of and a need to update the traditional view of transmission pathways for respiratory viruses. The long-standing definitions of droplet and airborne transmission do not account for the mechanisms by which virus-laden respiratory droplets and aerosols travel through the air and lead to infection. In this Review, we discuss current evidence regarding the transmission of respiratory viruses by aerosols-how they are generated, transported, and deposited, as well as the factors affecting the relative contributions of droplet-spray deposition versus aerosol inhalation as modes of transmission. Improved understanding of aerosol transmission brought about by studies of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection requires a reevaluation of the major transmission pathways for other respiratory viruses, which will allow better-informed controls to reduce airborne transmission.

AB - The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed critical knowledge gaps in our understanding of and a need to update the traditional view of transmission pathways for respiratory viruses. The long-standing definitions of droplet and airborne transmission do not account for the mechanisms by which virus-laden respiratory droplets and aerosols travel through the air and lead to infection. In this Review, we discuss current evidence regarding the transmission of respiratory viruses by aerosols-how they are generated, transported, and deposited, as well as the factors affecting the relative contributions of droplet-spray deposition versus aerosol inhalation as modes of transmission. Improved understanding of aerosol transmission brought about by studies of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection requires a reevaluation of the major transmission pathways for other respiratory viruses, which will allow better-informed controls to reduce airborne transmission.

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Airborne transmission of respiratory viruses

Abstract

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